


Parker Racing-Sanditon

by Benben15



Category: Formula 1 RPF, Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon Fandom
Genre: Alternate Story, F/M, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 268,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26351593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benben15/pseuds/Benben15
Summary: The Parkers have fought their battles to keep Parker Racing on the Formula 1 starting grid. New partners are poised to come in and get their team and drivers back on the podium. Surprises are in store for everyone. This is inspired by the Formula 1 season persevering through the Covid-19 madness, and starting this Summer despite a very shortened season. The parallels of the high stakes glamorous and dangerous world of modern racing in F1, and the high stakes and risky development of a seaside town in the 1800s, were too close to not tie them together. Also inspired by the TV series, Sanditon, that was extended from the work of Jane Austen by Andrew Davies.
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker, Georgiana Lambe/Otis Molyneux, Heywoods, Lord Babington/Esther Denham, Parkers
Comments: 1079
Kudos: 455





	1. The Parkers

The Parkers

Sidney groaned as he saw his older brother Tom walking toward him. He had just replaced his steering wheel on its post in the car, had set down the shoulder cover, and turned away from his brother, hoping to give himself just one more moment of peace. He knew as he was removing his helmet, fire proof balaclava, and radio earpiece, that Tom would be interrogating him once he was free from his equipment. He knew the testing laps had not gone well, the car was unstable, acceleration was slow, and from what his Racing Engineer, Babington, had told him on the team radio, all the telemetry data was “not where they had hoped”. Which was basically code for ‘complete shit.’ Blasted computers could keep track of everything on the car, but not tell you how to fix it, he thought.

  
“ _SIDNEY_ ,” Tom cried. Dammit, Sidney thought, ‘Am I never to get away from you Tom?’ He had almost said that out loud with his frustration from the day, and its disappointments. Instead, Sidney grimaced and bit his lower lip. He inhaled a deep breath that smelled of high-octane fuel exhaust, and the smoke coming off the heated brakes of his car. He watched as the mechanics wheeled the car back into the pit garage, hurriedly attaching the brake cooling fans to drop its temperature. Car, is one thing to call it, but it looked more like a light fighter jet, with "wings" that had been crafted by hand to keep it down on the ground.

  
Wiping his left hand through the front of his short, curly dark hair he caught the sweat dripping down towards his even darker eyes. He turned to his brother. “What is it Tom,” with his shoulders back and his spine suddenly straight. He said it more as a terse statement than a question. Eyes narrowed, he watched as his brother took his long and panicked strides towards him. “Sidney, what happened?” He removed his mirrored sunglasses in one swipe, and Sidney could see the anxiety and fear building up behind his eyes.

“Tom, you know that this is the first day of testing. We have a new engine supplier, and the team back at the factory have been working on a new floor for the car. All the parts are not up to snuff yet. Then we will have to adjust the front and rear wings to work with the new floor. We are behind, but we are not out of the hunt.” Tom looked at him, like nothing he said mattered or made any sense to him, despite Tom's own degree in Engineering.

What did matter was that the Parker brothers had grown up in racing. Their father took them Karting before they ever entered primary school, and all of what Sidney said should have been enough to placate him until they could get with the engineers at headquarters to see what improvements could be made. But no, Tom only became _more_ agitated when logic was presented to him.“Really Sidney, our new team partners are coming tomorrow, what will they think?”

“They will think that they are very lucky to be moving up to Formula 1, that’s what!” Sidney barked at him, losing his patience. Sidney knew of the smaller racing team, that had only participated as far up as Formula 3 racing, until now. Looking for new blood, and new ideas, Heywood Racing had been approached by Tom and Babington to add their smaller set-up to the Formula 1 Parker Racing Team. Parker-Heywood racing would be made official if this year showed real improvement, and the team could accumulate a certain number of championship points, in the rapidly approaching season. Heywood racing was bringing its sponsors, its best driver, as well as a hand full of engineers and mechanics to field the second team car. It was a family operation that had made its name, albeit a small outfit, through the leadership of Joseph Heywood the family patriarch. But Joseph Heywood was getting older. He still made a good profit off providing Karts and Kart engines to the more competitive young karting drivers, and driver development programs. In fact, he had supplied the Parker family when the Parkers were young, as well as most of the current and former British drivers in Formula 1, 2, and 3 as they worked up the ranks.

Everyone knew the Heywood name, everyone certainly respected them, but this was uncharted territory for them. Other than that, the only thing Sidney really knew about the newer team was that it was headed by the oldest of the Heywood kids, but real innovations had been made by one of the younger Heywoods. A phenom, apparently, in the physics and engineering world. Entered Cambridge early and finished with a PHD before the age of 22. Tom went on and on about some of the possible design elements the Heywood team could bring with them after their remarkable improvements in Formula 3. By the end of last season, the driver they were bringing with them had finished every race on the podium, and never lower than second. However, one thing he had learned about getting his hopes up, a result of a lifetime of racing toward the checkered flag, was that Sidney knew he would save his judgement on those “possibilities” until he could see it actually materialize in front of him. And under him, in the car.

'Thank god for Babington, he knows how to deal with this madness', Sidney thought as his friend and Racing Engineer walked into the conversation. Babington, or rather Lord George Fitzwilliam Babington VI & Earl of Basilford, had been Sidney’s lifelong friend. Or at least he had been around as long as Sidney could remember, and if anyone could read what was transpiring between the hushed but agitated whispers between the brothers, it was Babers.

“Tom” he interjected with a wide and calming smile. “I understand your concerns, but everything is not lost. I promise we will have some of this analyzed and worked through back at the factory before the Heywoods even show up tomorrow. I’m calling Arthur right after this to check in and discuss what we learned today.” He gently pulled Tom’s attention away from Sidney with his reassuring tones, and talked to him like he was talking a jumper off of the ledge of a tall building.

Sidney, now free from the gravitational pull of his older brother, slipped away and left Babington to it. He headed over to the scale to check his weight, and was immediately set upon by his older sister handing him a towel for the sweat on his head, and the special electrolyte replenishment drink she concocted just for him. All of her supplemental formulas were top secret. No matter how many drivers tried to lure her away, Diana was devoted to her brothers, especially whichever one happened to need her the most at the time. For many years, that had been Sidney. Diana was his Physiotherapist and helped with his work outs and recovery. Well, his sister was more than his PT. She was his dietician, personal trainer, physiotherapist, personal chef, meditation guru, and big sister all rolled into one.

Diana had been a promising Karting driver in her youth, and had been doted upon by their father. He was convinced his daughter would be the first modern-day Formula 1 female racing driver. Instead, she had helped Sidney and their younger brother Arthur get through the unexpected deaths of their parents. After the horrific crash on the M25 while driving back home to Sanditon, from London 12 years ago. Diana had become his touchstone. The tragic irony of their deaths was not lost on the 4 surviving Parker children, and like all families, they dealt with the sudden sink hole of loss in different ways.

Tom, being the only one of age to take over, had become Team Principal after his last year at university. The oldest, he had developed confidence, a knack for smooth-talking their business partners, and a sense of responsibility at an early age. Diana, the next oldest, gave up her karting all together, despite being approached by 3 different driver development programs with some of the best racing teams.

Instead, she focused her attention on her two younger brothers. Sidney had always shown the most promise on the track. No one could out drive him in the wet, and no one knew better how much he could get out of his tyres purely by instinct. Arthur was very young, and the only one who chose never to race. The trauma of his parents’ death, left him wary of the track. Instead he chose academia as his path. But like all the Parker children, his gifts in Maths and Sciences were eventually utilized at the team factory their father founded in their hometown of Sanditon. If he couldn’t save his parents, he would do whatever he could to keep his brother safe while racing. They were an over-protective group brought on by loss and circumstance, but despite their loyalty, their differences often strained their relationships.

Diana went through the standard post-race/post-testing list of questions she had for him to gauge how Sidney was feeling. Sipping his “rocket fuel,” which is what Diana had called it when he was young to convince him to drink it, he dutifully answered all of the inquiries. “Swim later to work out that lactic acid, or your upper body will get tight from all this heat. Get your massage, and then I want you to get to Cryo-therapy right after for the inflammation. Another long day coming up.” She dipped her head down so that she could get his eye contact. Sidney had always been the most guarded and reserved of the Parkers, and Diana had seen Tom approaching him as he got out of the car. “Sidney,” he finally looked up from his straw to meet her eyes. “What else do you need” she asked with quiet but direct concern. The start of the season, and finally getting to test the new car was always very stressful. Sidney smiled a crooked grin at his sister, practically reading her thoughts.

“I’m OK Di. Really, I promise. Just a lot of new things this year, and I don’t really know what else will change after tomorrow,” he sighed. Having been a young driver those experiences had never left her, and Diana understood what he as telling her. Too many unknown variables, it could all go either way. She handed him another sport bottle of just water to drink and took the empty one from his hands.

“Go see Otis to get those muscles worked on after your swim. Am I going to have to check up on you or can you do all of this yourself?” She asked with a determined stare.

“I promise I will do everything you ask,” in his deep reverential voice, as he bowed his head just a little almost like a salute. “Haven’t I always been a good pupil,” he asked teasingly with a glint in his eyes.

Laughing, Diana just said, “most days I suspect.” After reminding him what meals and shakes in his refrigerator to eat tonight and for tomorrow morning, for the 2nd time, Diana went about her business to start preparations for the next few days.

Sidney looked over at Babington. Apparently, his talents in diplomacy had worked, and Tom had moved on to answer a phone call. Walking over to him, Sidney asked, “What do you know about the Heywoods? I know of them, but I’ve never met any of them except old Mr. Heywood, and that was years ago when I was still karting.”

Babers attempted an answer, “Yes, me as well. I know that this all seems last minute, in fact, I’m not sure why everything happened so quickly. I know about their team history, and with their sudden success last season, but I don't know what helped them get to that point. I keep trying to pin Tom down to get more information, but he’s been so evasive. I would think he would have told you more than me.”

Sidney shook his head, “No, I’m still trying to figure out why we need a team partner. Arthur and the rest of the development team are working day and night to comply with all the new regulations this year. I can’t get Tom to tell me anything. I’m his ‘jockey on the horse,’ his ‘poster boy’, but I can’t get any more information out of him on operations even though I own part of the company.”

Babington clapped his hand on Sidney’s shoulder, “Don’t worry old friend, we’ll get it all sorted.” Truthfully, George Babington was concerned. It was a big step to share information with another racing team, especially one that was new to this level. Their cars were generations ahead of Formula 3, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. George’s father had bought shares in the team many years ago, which now made him an investor as well once he had also inherited his father's title. Funding was essential to the development of the cars. It cost money to get the best engineers, to keep the wind tunnel in top shape, secure facilities, and the cost of materials alone was astronomical. Many times, George thought, “I should have played Cricket instead. Whites, a ball and a bat, so much simpler.” The smaller teams could get by with spending £150,000,000 per racing season. But the big teams, the ones they were all chasing and hoping to beat, easily spent over £400,000,000 in less than a year. Extra money for the best drivers, the best aerodynamicists, the best engines, best pit crews, best engineers and mechanics, the newest materials, and the ability to change all of it as needed throughout the season to push each car to its limits. Astronomical indeed. They could have been building rockets to the moon instead, with that much money.

There were so many things that could go wrong in a sport that was often determined by tenths and even hundredths of a second. The more people, the more chances for failure. And a spectacular failure it often was. Teams were in and out of Formula 1 almost every year. For the Constructors, the teams themselves, the prize money at the end of the season was essential for success the following year. Hundreds of millions of pounds were at stake, and they had to start getting points to earn that money from the very first race. Too much was riding on this to not be concerned. It wasn’t just the danger of the sport, the speed, the adrenaline rush, the excitement when the engines were ignited, the screaming fans, or the chance at victory, that spurred them on. It was their very survival, and the survival of their family and friends that was at stake. The legacies of the Parkers and the Babingtons. These Heywoods were their own family, and ‘extended families’ didn’t always get along. The team had already learned that lesson years ago.


	2. The Heywoods

Chapter 2

The Heywoods

They had rented a flat in a large house on the outskirts of Sanditon that been separated into vacation rentals. It had once been part of a larger estate that had since turned into a posh golf, spa & tennis club, Denham Dunes. Apparently, it was well renowned for the Links course along the clifftops overlooking the ocean. The Heywoods had moved all their computers, hard drives, racing simulators, a couple of servers, and the tools they needed, into the large dining room in the baroque styled mansion. It wasn’t until tomorrow that all of their necessary equipment would be taken to the Parker Racing Headquarters and Industrial complex. Not wanting to leave anything at risk of theft, everything was unloaded from the lorries into the house, only to be loaded back up the following morning. It was a security precaution they were more than willing to take.

As they looked around, it was hard to see why anyone would have wanted to rent this particular apartment. Much of the ground floor was original to the house, and half the rooms had been receiving rooms in a more formal time. Dark colors graced the walls and trim in every room, even the murals of the naked Grecian nymphs, gods, and mythological creatures were illustrated in misery-loving tones. The fresco-ed panels set between mouldings were in almost every bedroom. It was like eyes, breasts, and naked backsides were following them everywhere. Either they were going to be distracted by all the nudity, or they would feel like they were constantly being watched. Not a very relaxing setting.

They had been desperate to find something large enough to accommodate the whole family when they would visit. They were a close family, and even though only two of would be living here full time, the parents and younger siblings had plans to travel back and forth between their home in Willingden and Sanditon in the coming months. Even the employees who weren’t actual Heywoods, were still considered family. Many of them had been with the team long enough that they remembered most of the many Heywood children being born. That was how the team had always been run. Everyone who worked on the team had been hired by Old Mr. Joseph Heywood. Their loyalty to him had transferred down to his children who were now developing the team into something new. This was a monumental step, and frankly, not one they had ever expected to take.

Big brother Michael, 27, had been Heywood Team Principal after his father’s retirement. He was young but capable. Learning at his father’s side, Michael knew everything the mechanics knew, and had studied Engineering at Uni. At his father’s advice, he had also studied business and finance as a minor. He did not think that the Heywood Racing Team was in his future, but his father’s sudden downturn in health had made that choice for him. He had only been taking more responsibility as Acting Team Principal for less than two years when this opportunity presented itself, and according to his father, it was too good to pass up. However, as per the new deal, he was somewhere in limbo. An Engineer by training, he had been the Racing Engineer working with their team driver who was also moving to Parker Racing. He knew he did not have seniority, or the experience to be a Team Principal in F1, but he hoped to do his father proud, and that was all on which he was focused.

It was the second Heywood offspring that had propelled them to this new shaky ground. For a young person just turning 23 a month ago, it seemed like a lot to undertake. But nothing had ever really intimidated Charlotte Heywood. Not when she corrected her Maths teacher in Primary School, or her Classical Languages teacher the same year. Nor when she did the same to her Maths teacher in her first month of Secondary School, when she was already 5 years younger than anyone in the class of advanced students. Not when she needed her Aunt Augusta to stay with her at Cambridge until she reached the age of 18, which was 3 years after her matriculation to that institution, and almost a year into her first MASt program, Physics.

You would think that a young girl of above average intelligence, and of average height would have been prey to bullies all through her school years. But those kids never intimidated her either. Her loving big brother had taught her enough on the family farm to help defend herself, and her naturally sharp tongue only grew quicker with her education. It was not easy to look past Charlotte Heywood, and it was careless to underestimate her abilities. Those who did, often regretted it, and remembered to not repeat the experience. It certainly helped the efficiency of the team when she started working with them in August of last year, half way through the season. She was rarely questioned after just a few days of working with the Heywood Racing Technical Department, and if she was, it was only for clarification or an explanation necessary for someone outside the department who had not been an Engineering major at Uni. No, Charlotte Heywood was a force of nature, not unlike the physics she studied and loved for its logic and simplicity.

Because of her many life experiences in her short 23 years, Charlotte, was also patient and kind to those who accepted her for who she was, and for who she was becoming. One thing that life had taught her, that school had not, was that truly genuinely kind people were not always easy to find. So, when she found them, they eventually realized Charlotte would be their friend for life. In fact, it was a friend from Uni that had helped them find the family lodgings in Sanditon.

Esther Denham had been an undergraduate at Cambridge while Charlotte was in her MASt Physics program. They kept running into each other at the coffee shops, cafeterias, and in the library. Esther was very different from Charlotte as her courses were in Management Studies, but they each recognized something in the other. Charlotte and Esther both had to fight for where they were, and not a small fight, but a life long battle. That was enough for their bond to grow and flourish into the type of relationship where feelings and concerns could be conveyed in a glance with one another. They both then attended Southampton University where Charlotte worked on her second postgraduate degree, an MSc in Race Car Aerodynamics*, and Esther worked on her MSc in Accounting and Management. Charlotte went on to finish her PHD research in aerodynamics at MIT working with new lightweight structural materials, most of which are still not commercially available. Until she had left for Boston, and Esther had left to work for her Aunt’s golf resort, they had been almost inseparable.

Two more of Heywood children had accompanied the two oldest to help them get settled. Third born Timothy was going to help his parents with running the business at home. He had been working as a Physical Trainer until his parents asked him to return home. As smart as Charlotte was, Timothy was as fit as an Olympic swimmer. Strong, quick, sharp, and always looking for a way to help their pit crew shave a couple tenths off of their pit stop times, or add more weight to his bench press. His focus was on proving himself in the family Karting business now. His determination was only matched by his sisters, both of them, because his younger sister Alison took after Timothy in many ways. She was the one who had broken the track record at the Willingden Karting Track when she was 10, and then broke it again when she was 11, and again each year after that. Now she was almost 18 and helped with developing and testing their new Karts, as well as some amateur racing, and also helped with coaching young kart drivers. Of course, her real desire was to qualify for a Super Licence** and be eligible to race at the upper level of Formula 1.

The Heywoods had taken the spacious ground floor flat of the large house so that they could have space for themselves and away from each other, as well as plenty of other guest rooms for the rest of their family when they could visit. Tonight, three of the extra beds were taken by team engineers that had worked with the team longer than two of those Heywood kids were alive. William, Daniel, and John had watched all of these children grow up on the farm their family owned, and where their father kept the family business. They were there when the industrial buildings were added to the land hidden back behind the centuries old Tudor farm house. They were there when the two eldest went off to Uni, even though Charlotte actually left a year before her big brother. They watched as Timothy and Allison, only separated by 18 months, raced each other everywhere. They raced, of course on the track, but also on horses in the fields, on dirt bikes on trails through the woods, and running in their trainers down the country lanes. They were inseparable, and pushed each other more than anyone else could have.

Competition was in their blood. Their mother had been a champion horse jumper, and almost made the Olympic team, twice. One day, Caroline Kent met Joseph Heywood, and everything changed. They married in less than six months and two years later had their first of 8 children. Michael, then Charlotte, Timothy, Allison, Sara, Oliver, Jonathan, and lastly Rose. In the beginning Caroline taught riding lessons on the family estate, small though it was by estate standards. Joseph kept expanding his Karting business. It started as a way to pay for Michael’s interest in the sport as a young lad after watching races on Sunday afternoons with his father. Eventually, building kart engines, and later all kart components except for the tyres, took over almost every aspect of the Heywood’s lives.

No one complained. It was hectic, but is was also exciting and constantly changing. Eventually the horse barns were used for storage, and then converted into offices nearer to the house. A small track was built on the acres across the lane from their house. What used to be a pasture for dairy cows became a training and testing ground for all their latest innovations. As their clientele grew older and bigger, so did the family business. Moving up to Formula 4, and several years ago to Formula 3. It was a heady move, traveling around the world with their team partner and sponsor. They had not had their own independent team, the money needed was too much. But they knew how to work well with others and with the experience of another team combined with their innovations, they felt there wasn’t much they couldn’t accomplish. Having shadowed and shared the Team Principal job with a more experienced leader had helped Michael get his footing, and he was able to use his own Mechanical Engineering degree as Racing Engineer for one of their drivers. He knew what the Team Principal job entailed, but he did not really know exactly what his job was to be going forward in that respect. At the very least, he was the leader of the Heywood “junior team.” If the Heywoods learned anything from their parents, it was always to adapt. Everything changes, so play to your strengths and let those strengths take you where you want to go.

It was with this optimism, indomitable spirit, and a drive to prove themselves that 3 of the Heywood children finally managed to fall asleep that night. Only one knew that working with new people, people who would judge them by their lack of experience, by their youth, by the fact that they only brought in small sponsors, by their naivete to the workings of F1, that Heywood had been here before. That Heywood knew this transition upward, just like all the transitions before that she had experienced, would not go smoothly. Charlotte sighed as she looked at the ghostly water nymphs painted on the wall of her bedroom, highlighted by the moonlight, and wondered if this whole move, this ambitious change, was really them looking into their own reflections just as the nymphs painted on the wall. Would they be able to see the truth of themselves reflected in what was to come, or would they fall head first into the river? She shook her head to remove the images that came to her mind, but the paintings were watching her, and she knew she was going to have to switch rooms tomorrow if she was ever going to get any sleep while they were in Sanditon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *There really is an MSt program for Race Car Aerodynamics at Southampton U.-  
> ** Only drivers with an FIA (Federation Internationale d'Automobile est.1908) issued Super Licence are allowed/eligible to race in Formula 1. There are quite a few steps to getting one. Including, at least the age of 18, a valid road licence, an FIA theory test about the sporting code and regulations, the driver has to complete 80% of two full seasons in a single-seater championship league (and there are quite a few, including FIA Karting Championship Leagues), and have accumulated at least 40 points from those races in the previous 3 seasons in any or a combination of those leagues. Phew! Not an easy task to getting one, but its all about safety. The FIA has also started in 2019, a Free-Practice Super Licence for team drivers who drive only in practice sessions, where the requirements are different. I found this info on letstalkmotorsport.com via Google. 😊


	3. "Thanks to everyone back at the factory!"*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * At the end of a very good race, you can always hear the winning driver on their team radio thanking the "guys" in the garage, and in the factory who work to make the car, and any modifications at the last minute.  
> I am also taking some liberties to keep the team in Sanditon for awhile. Usually teams get 8 days at the track in Barcelona to do their testing, and that's all the physical testing they can do on an actual track before the season starts. 
> 
> I have based my "vision" of the Parker Headquarters as a smaller and less dramatic version of the beautiful McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. It's a stunning piece of modern architecture, and certainly something Tom would want to emulate. ;)
> 
> Also, I love Arthur, and I hope that I can do him justice.

Arthur Parker had been going over all the lines and graphs of data. He and his fellow engineers at headquarters had been checking all of the readings and renderings from the first day of testing. All alone now, late at night in the Engineering Department, the stress was making him hungry and he reached for a small powdered doughnut and pulled it from it's plastic wrapping. This was desperation food, and if Diana could see him now, he would never hear the end of it. Looking over his shoulder, mildly paranoid, he pushed the rest of the plastic sleeve of pastries into his desk drawer and shoved it closed before popping the doughnut into his mouth. Wiping away any stray powdered sugar, he felt almost guilty, Mrs. Freshley’s had never let him down, and he was hiding her away in his desk. He knew Diana wasn’t there, but the security cameras were, and he wouldn’t put it past her to check the recordings. Just to keep tabs on him. Taking a deep breath, he intertwined the fingers of both hands together and stretched his arms straight above his head, rocking his head gently from side to side, stretching his neck. His fingers were getting numb. His brain was getting numb, and it was already past 1 in the morning.

He went over the graphic design of the car for the three-thousandth time, watching the simulated wind paths through the car. He made virtual adjustments his team had measured and calculated for, changing each element one at a time to see what difference it would make. Then adding the changes in different combinations to see how they interacted. All the while he saved and studied each simulation, each combination, and each time he knew something was missing. He got up from the workstation and walked over to the disassembled car set up on a platform, that they were working on for reference. Shaking his head, he went through all the options, ticking them off in a virtual list in his head. He was lucky he was good with patterns, it helped him with not having to take as many notes in school. He could just see it in his mind. Going over to the new engine, he used his mind to visualize it in the car. Was it seated properly? Yes, it seemed so. The gear box, not a new component this year, but it had been a very reliable in the past. Brake air ducts, the new floor configuration, the driver’s cockpit moulded to fit his brother’s back and posterior- how hard Sidney worked to stay in shape to drive this car with the g-forces pulling and pushing him, he thought shaking his head. “Definitely not for me,” Arthur mumbled softly to himself, and gently patting his rounded tummy. Putting on weight while working his many late hours, had only added to his lifetime battle with ‘stress-eating.’ In fact, the stress had recently made it hard for him to remain his boisterous and fun-loving self.

At the age of 25, Arthur thought fondly back to his Uni days, and the evenings spent with friends at parties or down at the pubs. Shaking his head, and the wistful smile from his face. He turned and confronted the long table of multiple screens, reading again all the information gathered from the morning’s testing. They were lucky to be able to do the testing in Britain this year, usually they were sent off to Spain, and that never helped his waist line. At least he would be near to family and it appeared he would be getting not only help, but a new superior in the Engineering department. A new Chief Technical Director. Someone much younger, and frighteningly more well educated. It could be a great learning experience for him, he thought. The rock, that had been a doughnut in his stomach, was telling him something different. Arthur was never at a loss for making new friends, but this might not be a friendly situation. Only time would tell, and it would all start tomorrow morning. Looking at his Apple watch he realized how late it was, and nothing new was revealing itself to him with the data, which was a sure sign it was time to head home. As one of his favorite classic movie heroines would say, “Tomorrow is another day,” he thought. Usually Scarlett would say that when she wanted to forget the day she was living in, but Arthur took a more optimistic approach. Yes, he thought, tomorrow will be a new day, and there was every reason to believe that things would be looking brighter in the next 24 hours. Yes, he told himself, every reason...what could possibly go wrong?

\---------

After only a few hours sleep, Arthur, with a stack of files in his arms pushed through the glass front doors into the sleek lobby of Parker Racing. He waved and said good morning to Dolores, who had been working for them since his own father had hired her while she was still in her young 20's. “Hello Mr. Arthur! Big day today! Just a reminder, Mr. Tom told me yesterday that a group of students will be visiting the factory today as well. I don’t think too many will be coming into your department, as the Secondary School is introducing them to the different aspects of the business. Most of them seem interested in ....Media and Marketing, or Finance…” her words trailed off as she perused the paper in front of her which must have held all the information.

“Really?” Arthur asked. “Today of all days, why on Earth would Tom schedule that now,” he asked, clearly exasperated. Dolores was at a loss as to what she could tell him. She shrugged, “He only said that the school called, and wanted a chance to bring the students in before the season started. He said that last term they came in later, and half the staff was in Abu Dhabi.” Arthur groaned, he remembered last term’s field trip well. The Engineering department had been desperately trying to create more down force for the car with the new rear wing that week, Most of the students hadn't even wanted to be there. Shaking his head, “Guess we’re stuck with it then.” All the energy he had walking through the door suddenly left him, and he trudged off to the Engineering and Fabrication departments.

Walking through the doors, Arthur was surprised to see new faces already at work. Most of the lights had not been turned on yet, and only a small area near his desk had the over heads lighting the space. Three silver-haired gentlemen, all wearing the same short sleeved, button up, white shirts and black trousers, and a young lady with a mass of long curly brown hair who was also wearing black chinos, but with a simple dark blue polo top. They were standing over the dismantled car and discussing the design he had just been working on the night before. Clearly this wasn’t the field trip, he mused. One of the men turned and saw him, making the “Heywood Racing” patch on the front left side of his shirt visible. 'Goodness they don’t waste any time, do they?' Arthur thought to himself. Fortunately, the older gentleman smiled, and nudged the others in the group. Arthur put on his happy face to welcome them. They all seemed a little on edge, but the young lady spoke first after seeing his name embroidered on his own team shirt. “Mr. Parker! I am so sorry if we are intruding, I couldn’t sleep last night and talked the ‘boys’ into coming in early.” She stuck out her hand, shaking his, and smiled cheerfully. “It’s very nice to meet you, I’m Charlotte Heywood.”

“Doctor. Doctor Charlotte Heywood,” said the gentleman who had nudged the others. He had said it quietly, and more towards Charlotte than anyone else. They had all been quite proud of her many achievements, having been there since the first signs of her precocious nature. They certainly were not going to let anyone forget who she was.

  
“Really William, I’m not sure if I will ever get used to that,” She said sheepishly. “It has barely even been six months.” Arthur thought she looked a little embarrassed by her new title that went along with her many achievements, but she shifted her shoulders and smiled as if to shake that feeling away. She had an intelligent high forehead, lovely large brown eyes with lashes to match, a sweet little turned up nose, and a charming dimple in the center of her chin. She could have been a doll that his nieces played with, Arthur thought. She certainly did not look like a formidable academic. Arthur was pleasantly surprised at her openness and hoped that this boded well for their working relationship.

“How do you do Dr. Heywood? It is truly a pleasure to meet you. You know, I had only heard about your rather remarkable credentials, and of course, I know about your family and their successes. But in all of that information, I had never heard that you were a woman! Well, marvelous! My sister Diana is going to be over the MOON with excitement to meet you!” Arthur’s energy and wide smile were back with a flash after this surprise. “I must say, this is very exciting! It will be so nice to have some new energy in the lab.” Turning a little more serious he inquired, “Have you had breakfast? We have a rather good cafe here. They make a wonderful brioche, and if it’s sliced and toasted just right, it will set you up for the rest of the morning,” he said smiling again. He shook hands and met with the other Heywood engineers William, Daniel and Jon. Then turning to the car pieces that were set out, "I see you've met the car!" he said with a laugh. He tapped the keyboards on several computers, and graphs appeared on the monitors. "I hope you will help us with uncovering our challenges. I am very much looking forward to your input. If you could look at the models we've saved, perhaps you can help figure out what our problems are. We've been understaffed until your team could arrive.” He put down the arm full of folders he was carrying, and with a few more clicks of the mouse at his own work station, had pulled up what they had worked on the day before. With all the models rotating virtually on the different monitors, he quickly had them running with air flow simulations simultaneously for comparison. “The rest of the design and engineering crew should be in shortly. I’m afraid I kept them here rather late last night. If I had known you were having trouble sleeping, I could have asked for your help sooner!” Arthur turned to Charlotte with a small chuckle. He smiled in such a way that despite the tornado of energy that appeared in the form of Mr. Arthur Parker, Charlotte was immediately at ease. He certainly was not like most of the other Engineering students she knew at school. It was a refreshing relief.

Charlotte smiled and thanked him, but she had already had breakfast and promised to try the brioche, toasted, as soon as she could. “Well it seems that you are in need of a tour of our facilities, Dr. Heywood.” He showed the four of them the lockers they could use for coats and personal items. Most of the lab was set up as an open work space so that the engineering team could work in the different areas as needed. Arthur had a desk, and promised that another one was being delivered later today for Charlotte as their new Chief Technical Director of Engineering, and her separate office would be set up later in the morning. The 5 of them began discussing the F1 required changes that had been made to the cars from last year, they looked over the regulations for the upcoming season as a refresher, and analyzed what information had already been gathered. The first shift of the Engineering staff trickled in not long after, and introductions and interests were shared among them. In a few hours the field trip would be coming through, and the plan was made that the veteran staff would stay to answer questions and give a short tour. This freed up Arthur to take the Heywood team on a wider tour of the facilities and departments.

“How did you locate our 'little' department this morning, Dr. Heywood?” Arthur asked. It was a very large, sprawling complex.

Charlotte explained, “Tom was able to meet us and show us the way. He said that you wouldn’t mind, since we would be working together. I hope you don’t feel as though we’ve stepped on any toes.” She realized that she would not have enjoyed finding four strangers in her lab first thing in the morning, and felt the need to explain or apologize.

“No worries, Dr… do you prefer Dr. or Ms.?” Arthur asked.

“Either really. Charlotte, if the company uses first names regularly. I certainly hope we will be on good terms and first names will be the order of the day.” She said brightly with a smile. She realized that Mr. Arthur Parker made it difficult to not smile. His energy was infectious, and she could already feel her cheeks aching from all the extra work.

“Well I heartily agree, Char-lotte.” He said her name, a little slower and with more emphasis along with another smile. They were walking back from the Media and Marketing departments while the rest of her team were having a break. They had seen a few of the students in the various departments throughout the tour, but it did not seem to be too disruptive. Arthur had stopped outside the Accounting Department, and stated that he wanted to check that the Heywood staff was taken care of in regards to all their employment paperwork. Once checked, and Charlotte introduced, Arthur excused himself to chat quickly with a friend in payroll.

Stepping back into the corridor, Charlotte waited alone in the long hallway. She took a deep cleansing breath to help center herself after such a busy morning, sure that Arthur would return quickly, and they would be on their way again. Everything was white, silver or light grey. It was great for adding extra light into all the offices and hallways, if not a little clinical for Charlotte’s tastes. “Nothing like my new bedroom,” she mused with a small laugh to herself, and a slight shake of her head.

“Excuse me, can I help you?” A deep and direct voice said to her from down the long hall. She quickly turned her head to look behind her, making make sure he wasn’t talking to someone else. She turned back toward the man who was moving quickly. He was easily 6 feet tall, trim and athletically built, and walking towards her with purpose. The bright morning light from the windows in the 3 storey lobby, distantly behind him, cast his figure in a dark shadow. As he walked closer, she could see that he had dark hair, short but curling at the ends, even darker brown eyes, and an intimidating expression that caused her to catch her breath. Yes, he was strikingly handsome with a straight aquiline nose, and scruffy short beard which highlighted his dark olive skin tone. But the glow in his eyes illustrated that he was decidedly not happy to see her there. Without any civility he repeated himself, “I said, can I help you?”

“No I am waiting for someone…” she looked at and started to gesture toward the glass door of the Accounting office on her left, in an attempt to explain her presence. Before she could finish, he cut her off.  
  
“You should not be wandering around these hallways. Where is your class?” he said.

“Class?” She answered, her brow furrowed with a wrinkle. “No, I’m here with…” He cut her off again.

“Look, every year, at least one of you students comes here hoping to sneak off and meet someone famous. Well, here I am!” He said with his voice raising louder with each word. He was visibly annoyed, and his arms opened out at his side sarcastically. “And now it’s time for you to leave, and go back to your group.” He was about to reach for her upper arm to "guide" her back to the lobby when the door to the Accounting Department swung open, startling him back a step.

“Ah, Sidney! Dear brother, I see you’ve met my new boss! This is our new Chief Technical Director, Charlotte Heywood. This is my brother, and our lead driver, Sidney Parker.” Arthur’s cheerful words hung in the air for a moment while he smiled up at Sidney, eager to introduce Charlotte to his favorite brother.

Sidney stood still, mouth hanging open just slightly. He blinked several times looking down at Arthur, trying to process this information, and brought himself to attention. Somewhere in the primal recesses of his brain, his muscles remembered to put his hand out to greet this new person properly. “Uh, Miss…?” Turning towards her, he peered at her with a tilt of his head to show that he was suddenly having trouble recalling her family name, even though he'd been hearing it every day for weeks. Once he really looked at her clearly, a twist, a sinking sensation in his stomach, alerted him to something. Was it embarrassment? Possibly. Fear? No, it definitely felt a little like embarrassment, what else could it be? He thought, hoping she wouldn't repeat his astounding blunder out loud to his younger brother. He pushed away thought of any other unidentified possible feelings.

Charlotte’s expression, however, was quite different. Her large, brown eyes were suddenly darker and narrower, and her pert nose flared just enough as she inhaled deeply to control herself, and her manners. Her back stiffened and her long, loose, curly brown hair bounced just enough for him to notice, as her dimpled chin pushed up defiantly to meet his gaze. Grabbing his hand in a firmer than expected handshake, she never broke eye contact, in fact he was sure that she never blinked. “Heywood… Doctor. Charlotte. Heywood.” She stated this clearly, and just slowly and defiantly enough for Sidney to understand 3 things.

1- She was definitely more intelligent and composed than he was.

2- regardless of his job, his fame, success, or his family, she was most certainly _not_ impressed; and, with those nerves returning to his stomach...

3- that he was a complete and utter Ass.


	4. "Getting to know you"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short transition chapter. Chapter 5 needs a lot of research

Chapter 4

"Getting to Know You"

It was not a moment too soon that Tom appeared, walking out of the Executive Offices further down the hallway, waving to them. He was with Michael Heywood, and to Sidney's relief, all attention was pulled away from his and Miss Heywood's introduction. More greetings and more handshakes were shared as the two groups met in the hallway. Tom reminded Arthur, “Don’t forget Mary is organizing lunch for the Heywoods to meet everyone. Outside, down by the lake pavilion. 12, sharp!” He sounded commanding, but smiled and was much more like Arthur than Sidney, Charlotte thought.

Fortunately for Sidney, at least Michael Heywood knew who Sidney was, but also seemed excited to meet him. The eldest Heywood and Sidney Parker were almost the same height, Michael was a little taller and a couple years younger, and both had a very similar build. They quickly started talking about Karting in their junior years, and their mutual friends and acquaintances. Michael then started asking about last year’s season, and what Sidney’s concerns were. They also discussed how the Parker team had performed, finishing 7th out of 10 teams wasn’t what they had wanted, but Sidney had finished 5th in the Driver’s Championship. This meant that he had brought in most of the points for their team. It was that result that ended the contract with their second driver.

Until they had finalized the agreement to add Heywood Racing to their ranks, they had not found a replacement for the second team car, other than their own test driver. Sidney was anxious to see how the Heywood’s driver would fare moving up to F1. He approached the subject gently with Michael, asking about their driver and trying to get some information about him, since Sidney didn’t know many of the younger drivers coming up in F3. It was always a tricky business. On one hand it’s too much for one driver to bring in almost all the points to try and keep a team near the top where the money was. On the other hand, Sidney was hoping that this new driver didn’t turn out to be faster than him. On top of that, Sidney had in record breaking time, insulted the one person who could make his life easier or make it abject misery. She could also make sure that the driver she knew, and who presumably hadn’t offended and insulted her to her face like he had just done, ended up with a car better suited to him than to Sidney.

“Dammit!” he thought. That was probably the worst thing he could have done. No, insulting her entire family would have been worse, but confusing her with a wayward secondary school student, instead of a young woman with a PHD was damn near close. He couldn't shake that he was going to be paying for this. Why hadn’t Tom warned him? He realized suddenly that Michael had asked him another question that he had not heard, and could not answer. “I...I’m sorry... I missed that,” Sidney said to Michael.

“At least you’re consistent, Mr. Parker.” The droll, clear, female voice leveled her observation just loud enough for Sidney and her brother to hear. Michael pinched his brow and gave her a quizzical look, not sure what could have brought out her sharpness so soon. Especially since she had been quietly observing both their conversation, and Tom and Arthur's next to them. Not to mention that Michael was meeting one of his racing heroes, and she should have known that. Sidney looked down at his feet and clenched his jaw as he looked away, avoiding eye contact with her. Before Michael could say anything to her about it, she added, “Well, I believe Arthur and I have a lot of work to do.” She looked at Arthur, smiling in her most charming way and said, “Shall we?” She gently pulled him away from Tom’s questions, with an invitation for Tom to come and visit them in the afternoon once they had more time to work.

Arthur, clearly enchanted with his new colleague, and her ability to silence Tom, responded. “Yes, indeed Charlotte, we do have quite a lot to get started on.” They turned to walk down the opposite end of the hallway before Arthur looked at her and added, “First, however, I must show you the way to our wind tunnel. I think you will be most excited to see our latest updates. It gives us quite the gale to work with!” And he laughed lightly at his small joke. Off they went chattering like lifelong pals while Sidney watched them walk away.

There it was, that twisting in his stomach again, like he'd just plummeted down the hill of a roller coaster, unsure of what it meant. Not to mention that the last time he had been on a roller coaster was when he was 10. He had more than a strong stomach. You have to when you drive a car that goes faster than 340 KPH for a living. Not many things could make his adrenaline pump that easily. Shaking his head, he thought, ‘how am I going to get out of this one? I might have to bribe Arthur into making sure my car isn’t a waste of space on the track.’ He was sure the uneasiness had to do with his massive fuck-up earlier. Again, what else could it be? Looking back down the hallway as Arthur and Charlotte took the elevator, he decided that wherever Tom and Michael were going was better than anywhere near Engineering.

He followed the other two gentlemen as they continued discussing information about the team, deals with sponsors and what kind of advertising and promotions they did. Michael seemed very astute to Sidney, and he was impressed with the amount of research he had clearly done before his first day at Parker Racing. As they entered the lobby, a large group of students were assembled waiting for their school bus to arrive and take them back to class. Most of the boys, and quite a few of the girls quickly surrounded Sidney, chattering loudly and asking for selfies and autographs. He was posted on all of their Instagram pages, snap-chats, twitter feeds, and a few kids recorded the interactions for TikTok and YouTube. It was all par for the course as far as Sidney was concerned. He smiled and chatted, and was happy for the confidence boost after his monumental mistake earlier. Nothing like some eager fans to help remind him who he was. Tom, of course, was thrilled with the reaction of the teens, and made sure everyone left with a team t-shirt as a souvenir.

Once the students left, Tom asked Michael after their family’s accommodations. “Well the place is a bit old-fashioned, but it has all the space we need. It’s actually a friend of Charlotte’s who helped us find it.” Michael explained as he told them of the flat at Denham Place.

“Really?” Said Tom, “we’ve lived in Sanditon for generations, who does she know?”

“Esther Denham, one of the few real friends she made at University. She was so much younger than everyone else there, but Esther was an undergrad while Charlotte was in one of her master’s years. Couldn’t tell you which one.” He smiled and laughed a little at his self-deprecating joke. Tom and Sidney shared quick glances. “What?” Asked Michael, but he wasn’t sure he was going to want to hear the answer from their facial expressions.

Tom took the lead, as he did in all things conversational. “Lady Denham who owns the golf club is Esther’s aunt, as you may know, but her step-brother Edward, used to handle their family’s financial investments. He was involved on his Aunt’s behalf with Parker Racing during that time. Their ancestors actually worked with our family to build up Sanditon as a seaside resort in the early 1800s, so it's a long family connection. Anyway, apparently Edward was not as gifted in money management as he presented himself to be, and put all of her properties and investments at great risk. Fortunately for Lady Denham, she found some partners to help keep the hotel and golf course open before permanent damage could be done, and from what I understand, it is doing quite well now. Very popular with the pensioners, golfing tourists, and the international business sort who pop over from London for a weekend while in town. But Edward almost ruined their family, and left us high and dry for capital for a season.”

“ _Two_ seasons, Tom” Sidney grunted.

“Yes, of course,” Tom quickly added. “Certain… sacrifices were made…” And then nothing more was said. Michael knew there had to be more to the story, but also recognized from Sidney’s clenched jaw that this was definitely not the time to ask. “Esther Denham!” Tom cheerfully brought the subject back to the beginning. “How remarkable that they know one other! You and your siblings will get to meet the rest of the Parker contingent at lunch. My wife Mary will be delighted to finally meet all of you. She has been most anxious to welcome the Heywoods. And of course, our sister Diana will be there.” He smiled brightly. There was no denying his enthusiasm.

Sidney gave a closed mouth smile. He was always happy to see Mary. He often thought the world would be a much better place if there were more “Marys” around. Thinking of this luncheon, Sidney thought, that this could give him a chance to fix some of the damage he had caused earlier. He would have to be careful or he would inevitably find a way to stick his foot in it again. “Maybe stick with the strong silent type,” he thought, that had worked well for him in the past. At least Tom and Arthur could be counted on to carry most of the conversation, of that he was sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from "The King and I." A nod to my Arthur's love of classic movies, and his optimism.


	5. The Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte gets her first real look at her new work place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I did literal hours and hours of research over many, many days to condense a lot of information down, and to hopefully not make it too boring. I am NOT an engineer, or designer, or IT professional in anyway, so I am trying to be as accurate but still entertaining as possible. Thanks to Google, Mercedes-Amg, Red-Bull Aston Martin, and McLaren for their YouTube videos where they share their processes, work spaces, and technical info with the public. The adorable Richard Hammond and his Reel Truth Science, Engineering connections program on YouTube was very helpful as well. Also there is a great series on Netflix, "Formula 1-Drive to Survive." It is highly entertaining, and really gives you a front row to all the drama behind the scenes. And I do mean DRA-MA! LOL! Lots of colorful language though, if that is anyone's concern. Two seasons, and episodes are usually 40 minutes or less. If you're curious. As this story does take place in England, I am trying to use English spelling where I can, but I would short circuit my computer if I tried to change everything. Sorry for the inconsistent spellings- I promise it's driving me crazy too. The good news is that the Picnic is up in the next chapter! :)

Chapter 5

The Car

The wind tunnel really was something to behold. Charlotte hadn’t seen facilities like these since she was in the States and working on her PHD in Boston. They had been lucky enough to work with scientists all over the country, and the facilities she had seen at Parker Racing were just as good as those. She and Arthur were anxious to get back to their lab and start picking things apart. The Engineering and Fabrication labs took almost the entire lower floor. A large part of the Engineering floor was concealed under the hill the building was built on top of, but the back area was covered in floor to ceiling windows and glass doors to help light most of the work spaces. They also had large garage bay doors for the lorries that carried off their hard-fought work, but they were conveniently hidden on the side of the building away from the entrances. It was all very thoughtfully designed and landscaped to highlight all the best parts of the property. The large windows and doors opened to the carved-out hillside in the back of the complex. The views swept down the hill towards the lake and pavilion, giving it a very calming effect despite the hive of activity inside. The theme of grey and white continued through the building, keeping the lab clean and bright. Helpful when workers stayed late and needed to be sharp and awake. The Engineers from Heywood Racing had started to unloaded all their computer equipment into the empty cubicles and desks next to the current work stations near Arthur’s. Charlotte’s desk had been delivered, and the additional closed office space for Charlotte was ready for her to set up. She had also been given space in the secured Server Room for their own server they brought from Heywood Racing, which linked only into her office, per her instructions.

She was eager to get a better look at the equipment in the fabrication area. Large rolls of carbon fiber fabric were stacked in the storage rooms, blocks of titanium, and other lightweight alloys were catalogued and ready to be machined when necessary. Computer guided cutting machines were already working on creating foam moulds for what looked like parts of the front wing. The “clean-rooms” were standing at attention for the moulding of the carbon fiber parts, and the autoclave to “cook” and pressurize the resins in the carbon fiber, looked practically brand new. An entire factory, all of it standing by to be put through the paces tonight. She was happy to see many men and women already hard at work creating carbon fiber components for the suspension, tie-rods, and prop-shaft. Other areas were working on electrical wiring, sensors, hydraulics, and another area set away working on a skeleton version of the car, examining and continual manipulation of it’s set up, with everything in place except its outer skin. It was a production level she had not really seen before. She knew how everything was built, and had seen it being built, but not all at once in one place, or at this level.

“Marvelous,” she said quietly to herself. “Arthur, I want to show you a program I wrote with a friend to help with analytics. It should work with your data, so we need to set that up with my server so we can see if anything shows itself. Anything glaring or really amiss, the program will catch it early, and it will save us hours of time. If, however, the issues are more subtle, that will take longer to run through some other diagnostic algorithms I’ve been working on.”

“Charlotte, I thought your degrees were in Physics and Aerodynamics?” Asked Arthur. Her computer skills did not seem to match what he thought she knew.

“Yes, well, this is what I liked to fiddle with when I was young, fixing old computers. It’s been my hobby since I can remember. My mum was pretty mad when I took apart her palm-pilot when I was 5 though when I wanted to see how it worked,” she grimaced. “But my dad gave me an unused room in the back of the house he used to call my mad-scientist lab.” She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled, hoping he wouldn’t think she was a childhood recluse. “I used to take old or broken computers and fix them up. Upgrade mother-boards, add RAM, replace old parts, network cards and such, and we would give them to families around our county who couldn’t afford new ones. Mostly I just repaired the ones our friends had, but sometimes we would get lucky and someone would hear that we salvaged computers and donate them. One year an insurance company, in a larger town north of us, found out what we were doing, and gave us enough of their old PCs to redo the computer lab at Willingden Primary. Those didn’t need as much work, but it was fun to set up their network, just the same.” She smiled and thought how simple it seemed to her at the time, like it was something everyone did. “At Uni I took some Computer Science courses in my Summer terms to learn some coding and programming. Met some really wonderful, clever people in those classes. They’ve been most helpful when I hit a road block and I can’t pinpoint what I’m trying to do. I’m lucky they bother with all my questions.” She smiled. “Heywood Racing is a small operation, much easier if I could do things myself. Plus, sometimes it’s harder to explain to someone what you’re trying to do, instead of just doing it.” She said very matter of fact.

With a laugh, Arthur was happy to share one more thing they had in common. “I think I’ve fixed every computer in Tom’s house, more than once. And I helped Diana update and back up her computer that she keeps for her files. It’s so old, it doesn’t even have a network card. She’s very secretive about her work, and won’t put anything on a computer that could be hacked on the internet. All of her spreadsheets and database material is on it, all of her top-secret research. I’m sure she will be interested in what you’ve worked on, even if she might not understand all of it. If she can find an expert on something she doesn’t know much about, she will keep on them until they answer her questions. She is especially keen on Doctor’s who are doing new research on supplements, diet, exercise, recovery, etc. She’s Sidney’s Physio. She’s _very_ particular about her work. But she’s also a lovely big sister, even if she can be a bit… unrelenting,” he said, without any malice towards his sister. It was just her personality. “Sidney handles it all very well.”

“Well, unrelenting is good in a physio. My brother Timothy had thought about that route, but he’s not much one for the books to get a degree. Personal Trainer is what he does. He has a lot of clients, but he also works with our pit crew, and helps our driver with his work outs. They’ve become good friends. Now, let’s get working on your data.” Charlotte thought how some of her peers had referred to her as unrelenting in regards to her schooling, usually followed by a string of many other less flattering adjectives, often associated with her gender. She and Diana might have a lot in common indeed, but getting along well with Sidney was probably not going to be one of them.

After plugging all the right things into all the right ports and setting up her workstation in her new office, the program was finally up and running. They watched the multiple screens she had set up as the lines of code ran through all the information. Working through the data from over 5,000 measured data points. A few small things popped up early that would be helpful, but Charlotte had a feeling that a this would need more time. Plus, she knew the limitations they had in the time department right now. She did not want to come in and take things over by completely redesigning a car that their concept group had been working on for probably more than 6 months, and had already been testing for a day. They only get 8 days on an actual track, per the very strict FIA rules, and they only had 7 days left starting tomorrow. Whatever they could do, it needed to be done before 4 AM. That way it could be loaded in the lorry, and brought to the pit garage to be prepped before even getting it out onto the track. The time crunch was feeling very tight. These would be the only days the drivers would get in their cars before the first race in just over a month from now.

She warned Arthur, “I think you need to make sure that as many of the fabrication crew is here over night. I’m quite sure that we are in for a long one.” Then added softly, “we are going to need lots of tea,” while her eyes darted over the new information coming across her screens. Arthur nodded, and took his cell phone out of his pocket. The call was in, and their work was just beginning. “Now, Arthur, either we need to work on the floor like you thought, hopefully that will work better for the components you already have. At least for tomorrow’s session. Or we will need to redesign the body components as well to give the drivers better grip. I am sure we will need to make adjustments to the front and rear wing designs, depending on what works. My thoughts are that we work on the floor tonight, and tomorrow see what we can accomplish with any new data we collect after testing. If we’re lucky, we _might_ be able to get an almost complete combination for the car to test for the 3rd day. And then the second car completed for day 4 at the latest. With the data that is sent back tomorrow during testing, we should be able to make adjustments before they ever leave the track.”

Arthur nodded. They’d worked like this before. It was a rush that they usually tried to avoid in an industry that demanded constant change and improvement. But Charlotte was decisive, and she seemed to be singularly focused on getting this done. He was relieved actually, that she was here to make real changes, which also meant sticking her neck out in an unforgiving business. It was now his job to make sure everyone from Parker’s knew that she and Arthur were a team, and that’s exactly what he was going to do. He called all the machinists and fabricators for a meeting in their lab with the engineers. After an hour, everyone met Charlotte who hadn’t already, and she explained the issues and what that meant going forward the next 3 days.

“I apologize that we won’t be getting much sleep the next few days, but we think the final result will be what we are looking for. With the output of the new engines, we will be able to have some specs adjusted, but as you know per the regulations it won’t be that much. I have called their certified mechanics to come in for the next few days, and to be on hand to get the most out of the engine that will work best with our final design. This is definitely a team effort, and as we from the Heywood staff are new, I want to make sure you know you can come to us with concerns or modifications as you see fit during the build. We are all on the same team now, and that is how I hope our working relationship will grow in the future. In addition to that, for the next 72 hours, we are all going to have to give every spare ounce of effort and skill that we have! No one is going to get stuck doing all the work. We will work in shifts as necessary, and of course, we will have many more adjustments to make starting tomorrow after testing. So, call your families to let them know, and make sure you get sleep while you can. Arthur and I need to see those of you who work on moulding the floor component right after this. Thank you, those of us from Heywood are all looking forward to meeting this challenge together!” She received a nice amount of applause afterward. She wasn’t exactly Henry V at Agincourt, but that could have gone much worse she thought.

Through the second meeting, Arthur helped to take some of the lead since he knew all the workers. He let them know they were already working on the specs for the new model, and to prepare their equipment and materials. The other team engineers and designers had taken the analyzed data and were making 3D mock-ups on the computers to start putting possible changes together. Arthur’s alarm on his watch alerted him to the time. “I never say no to lunch, Charlotte, but I am so motivated by what we have already done, I wish we could skip the picnic,” He was thoroughly shocked at what had just come out of his mouth, but also pleasantly surprised by it.

“We will all need to be well and fed tonight, I’m afraid. Is it possible to make sure we have tea and coffee and sandwiches for the workers tonight? We need to make things as simple as possible.” Charlotte offered.

“Definitely, we have a protocol for such nights already in place,” Arthur’s smile was supportive and helpful. She really did not want him to feel put out, or for her to make a glaring mistake simply because she did not know how they did things in their factory. “I’ll make a call to Dolores while we walk over, and she’ll make sure everything is taken care of,” He answered. They both took a deep breath looking at the crew as they started work, and after their whirlwind morning.

“A nice walk along the path to the pavilion sounds like just what we need right now Arthur.” She smiled and let Arthur lead the way through the large glass doors that led outside while he placed his call.

The grounds on which the Parker Racing Team had built their headquarters was really almost a park. It had been in the family for generations, part of the original estate that the Parker’s ancestors had owned before helping to build Sanditon into a seaside resort in the early 1800s. They still owned a lot of land, and quite a few more seaside properties. This property had gentle rolling hills, a large lake that was fed from the river nearby, and acres and acres of meadows and woods surrounded the gleaming modern structure. The building itself was all curved glass and steel in the front, but only 3 stories high so as not to impede too much of the view. There were only two floors above ground, but several below for fabrication, testing, and their archives and memorabilia. The ceilings were high, and each office and work area had banks of energy efficient windows when possible.

Their thoughts were both focused on their task still at hand. Disassembled and reassembled whenever it traveled, any F1 car was never the same car in two different races or places. The only time it stayed the same was between Qualifying on Saturday afternoon, and the start of the race on Sunday. Different parts were constantly created to keep competing throughout the season, and endless resetting of the front and rear wings to match the needs of the track they were on that given week. Plus, new set-ups as the driver needed them, and the increasing competition demanded. God-forbid that it rained on a race weekend. Then almost everything had to change or be adjusted all over again for the wet conditions, right down to the tyres. All your expected fair-weather work could be for naught. The mechanics and engineers had to be top notch and prove their skills and their working speed every race weekend.

Special packing containers cradled each piece for protection. Everything, from the Monocoque/Survival Cell- the cockpit fitted with a seat moulded and adjusted to each driver’s body, height and preferences; to the air intake ducts to cool the brakes and engine, multiple front and rear wings needed for that particular race, the electrical and hydraulic components, the gear box, all the way to the carbon fiber steering wheel that looked more like a game console on steroids than an actual steering wheel. It all was packed and reassembled with every move. It was almost like Nintendo built the handheld controls, and a crazed Lego master had designed multiple interchangeable parts to create the rest of the car to fit. Perfectly. Seamlessly.

When it was done, it was a thing of sweeping beauty. When it was done well, it was a thing of beauty with exceptional speed and maneuverability. It was a completely bespoke entity every single time it hit the track, and their time to get all of this accomplished was already ticking down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my teenage sons has a mad-scientist lab with lots of old computers and parts, which is where I took the super-nerd aspect from. He is the reason I can even talk about the inner workings of a PC or laptop. He has literally taught me everything I know, no matter how limited. He's fixed 5 computers in our immediate and extended family over the pandemic, and helped his dad build a new PC. So that section is an homage to his passion. And like Charlotte, he took apart a couple laptops he shouldn't have when he was very young. ;) I can laugh about it now...


	6. Picnic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Mary, and I always thought she was the glue in the Parker family, holding it all together. In modern times, I think she would have had to balance between being a professional super-mom and society hostess. Especially since their name is also on the business. "No pressure," right? ;) So I hope my love for her character translates here.

Chapter 6

Picnic

Mary Parker, the consummate hostess, was always early or exactly on time. She made sure the Catering tents were set up last night, and the tables and chairs brought in after the dew had dried this morning. The chaffing dishes and serving platters were arranged, and round tables set up. It was a smaller crowd than she was used to hosting, but she felt it was important to put their best foot forward to welcome their new partners. This was not a typical picnic at the beach with her young children. This was more like the “picnics” her mother used to host in their garden for her posh friends. She had a relaxed playlist broadcasting over the outdoor speakers, and patio heaters were scattered near the tables since it was still late February. But since this was the only place fit to entertain properly on the headquarters grounds that didn’t feel like you were in German hospital, it would have to do, she thought. She loved the modern design of the building, but some color, somewhere, even on the floors, would have been a relief …. She was ranting in her own head again, but it wasn’t her call, and it would have been hard to get Tom to listen, so she worked with what she had. At least the windows in the building brought a lot of the view of nature into the space, and if they’re looking, the workers can see some green trees and blue skies, she thought.

She arranged the linens on the tables, directed the waitstaff to start filling the water glasses at a quarter till 12, checked that the small centerpieces of flowers hadn’t dropped any petals or leaves on the white table cloths, adjusted a few of the napkins and straightened some of the cutlery by the place settings. She stepped back, her eye for detail, and her sense of balance and style checking every nuance, and every view her guests would have. After straightening a few of the chairs, she was finished. She smoothed her blousy light grey cashmere jumper, and her cream gabardine trousers, checked her shoes for any grass or mud, and gently smoothed her golden blonde hair that she had pulled into a wavy and chic chignon. A bit of hand sanitizer and lip gloss from her Mulberry Bayswater tote, and she felt refreshed and ready.

The first to arrive were Tom, Sidney and Michael Heywood. “Thank you for coming on time Tom, that must have been down to you Sidney,” She joked and winked at her husband and gave her brother in law a smile and a genuine hug.

“You know me Mary, I always like to get somewhere fast,” Sidney teased her back, and gave her a social kiss on the cheek. “But no, Tom made sure we left with plenty of time. Have you met Michael Heywood yet?” Turning towards the young man who was flanked by the two Parker brothers.

“Yes dear! Michael, this is my darling wife Mary Parker. Mary, this is Michael Heywood,” Tom said jumping in with the introduction. Before Mary could say anything, Tom continued, “Michael has been telling us all about their remarkable season last year. Very exciting! Big changes in the middle of the season, and it was practically impossible to keep them off the podium! Yes, just remarkable!” Tom was thrilled with the possibility of a similar run with their own team, and could hardly contain himself. Podiums, top three finishes, trophies, and _POINTS_. Those very valuable points that only the top ten drivers and teams were awarded at each race. Points that equated to cold hard cash at the end of the season. More cash meant more resources, more sponsors, more exposure, more ticket sales, more merchandising, more fans, more media coverage! His mind was swimming with all the possibilities indeed, and all of them leading to the bank. Even in his own head he was becoming out of breath. He blinked and smiled with barely contained excitement at his lovely wife. “So many possibilities, my Dear!”

The rest of the group seemed to find each other walking the pea gravel path toward the pavilion. Sidney observed Arthur introducing Diana to Miss…, Dr. Heywood, and he took a long deep breath through his nose, exhaling it slowly to keep himself calm. He knew that he probably deserved what ever she would do to torture him, and did not like that he was now going to have to be, well, _kind_ to her in the hope that he could change things around. “Small talk. Small talk.” He repeated in his head to pump himself up, and even forced a smile with actual teeth showing, which he was sure made him look like an idiot, so he did not wear it long.

Babbington and Crowe were the only other two who could make the luncheon, and they brought up the rear of the group approaching. Arthur and Diana were bookends on either side of Charlotte on the path. Their chatter about all the virtues of their home town, and the health properties of the sea air were overwhelming to any other conversations near them. Charlotte, Sidney had to admit, was listening wide-eyed and quite patiently. If she was overwhelmed, she did not show it. Then he realized that her being an actual genius probably helped her assimilate any information quickly, no matter how banal, which almost made him think less of her. If her cleverness, her ability to do and think things that others could not, then any expectations of her should be higher than expected, shouldn’t they? Instead of feeling that she was doing well getting on with the most of the Parkers, he suddenly felt resentful that her ‘natural abilities’ could not be measured by anything he could think of himself. The scowl returned.

Mary was watching him, alerted by his uncharacteristic Ujjayi deep yoga breathing. Watching as his face changed through the process of all of these thoughts, and she could not think when, if ever, she had seen him react or behave this way. Smiling like a Cheshire cat, then a small grin, followed by a pinch in his brow and then a definite frown, which she was much more familiar with. Something had him unsettled. “Curious…” she thought. She decided that Sidney was going to need watching so that he did nothing to disrupt her carefully planned luncheon. As a mother of four young children, Sidney was no match for Mary’s keen understanding of potential mischief. If he was going to cause any trouble, she would see it before it happened. She hoped.

Arthur’s buoyant personality pulled Mary away from Sidney’s rabbit hole, “Mary! This is the brilliant Dr. Charlotte Heywood. Charlotte, this is our one and only dear sister-in-law, Mary Parker.”

Well that made things even worse for Sidney. “One and only?” He thought. He suddenly felt like he had somehow not fulfilled something that he was expected to have done. It didn’t matter that he put his life and limb on the line week after week for more than 10 months of the year, in large part _for_ his family, he thought with aggravation. Now he was letting them down in some other way? “What is going on with me? None of this usually matters. He was good at his job, very good! Not being married was clearly a choice. How many super-models and grid girls could a guy turn down? He had women throwing themselves at him in the super-market for Christ’s sake. I could take my pick!” He thought with defiance and certainty. He was clearly over-thinking, not something he allowed himself to do. You can’t over think, or doubt yourself behind the wheel of a race car. No fear, or it inevitably turned very messy. He needed a run. Instead, the only option in front of him caused the corners of his mouth to curve down more, and the scowl deepened. He couldn’t wait to get out of there.

Arthur was now introducing Dr. Heywood, to Babington and their test-driver Robert Crowe. ‘ ** _Doctor_** Heywood.’ He thought, with an annoyed audible huff that escaped his lips. Mary heard that small puff of air, and turned on him as quickly as a cobra. She pulled him aside, and practically hissed at him under her breath. “What is the matter with you today? Henry does a better job behaving himself in _church_ and he’s only 3! See here now, Sidney, get a grip on yourself and whatever it is that is bothering you. I will not have you disrupting all of my hard work!”

Sidney suddenly snapped out of his miserable reverie. “Sorry, Mary. I promise, I’ll do better. I don’t know what’s going on with me. It must be all the uncertainty around the car and testing again tomorrow…” He really had no more he could add out loud, but hoped that would be enough.

Mary straightened herself even taller, and leveled her best “mummy stare” at him. “I hope you mean that, Sidney, or it will take me a very long time to forgive you.” She glared at him a few moments more before she turned quickly to the rest of the group and smiled pleasantly, like she and Sidney had just been discussing which type of tea to serve. She was not going to let anything derail what was supposed to be something of a celebration. She directed everyone to serve themselves and to find their seats.

She had assigned the seats between the two round tables to make sure that they would mingle, especially since there were only 2 Heywoods there. She had wanted to get to know Miss Heywood and made sure that she sat across from her. She was glad she had sat Sidney on her right so she could keep an eye on him. On his other side was Miss Heywood, with Babington on her right, and Diana between him and Mary. The round table next to them is where Crowe, Michael, Tom and Arthur were sitting. Despite being at different tables, Michael and Charlotte were practically next to each other, right over each other’s shoulder. Mary was always trying to think of small things that could help her guests feel more at ease, placing them near each other might help them feel less outnumbered, she had thought.

Sidney had gone through the buffet with Diana, choosing what was appropriate. Steamed vegetables filled half the plate, and a very small piece of white fish without any sauce was the only thing on the other side of it, now that he was in full training mode. Mary chatted with Charlotte through the line as they served themselves, and as they approached the table, she caught Sidney’s eyes and willed him to stand as she and Charlotte approached. He should have pulled out the chair next to him on both sides, but only seemed to remember to get Mary’s. Luckily Babington, who was quick on his feet and more well-trained in these etiquette situations, reached Charlotte’s chair before she even set her plate on the table. She smiled and thanked him, grateful for a friendly face.

“Dr. Heywood, it is a pleasure to have you here at Parker’s,” Babington said smiling as he sat down next to her. His genuine kindness put her more at ease, since it felt like she was sitting next to an iceberg on her other side. They fell into an easy discussion about their engineering educations, what each of them were hoping to work on and achieve with the cars and the team. Diana asked her about her family, and Mary expressed that they were very happy to have them in Sanditon. Sidney almost huffed again, but remembered his promise to Mary and took another bite of the broccoli in front of him to keep his mouth full. It was Babington who opened the conversation between them.

“I imagine you will be spending a lot of time working together on the car, Sidney.”

“What Babers?” He asked, hoping Babers did not mean who he thought he meant, and realized he had missed another question from someone in front of Dr. Heywood. Hopefully she did not catch it. A quick glance at her blinking, widening eyes, and raised eyebrows told him otherwise.

“You and Dr. Heywood, I imagine you’ll spend a lot of time with the team to make sure the car is to your liking.” He smiled, unknowing of the awkward introduction earlier in the morning.

“Oh yes, of course. I would expect you will be heading down there yourself, Babers.” He responded. Sidney didn’t usually talk much, but this was bordering on mute. Babington was bemused by his friend’s behavior, but it didn’t matter, his own skills filled the gap.

“Well, I am technically a member of the Engineering team, so of course I will be down there. Dr Heywood, is it too soon if I venture down there after lunch to see how things are coming along before tomorrow?” Hoping that he could engage the young woman in conversation since Sidney clearly was not helping, and also to discuss more of his concerns about the car.

She smiled at him, “of course Mr. Babington, but unless it is seen as unprofessional here, I would prefer if you would call me Charlotte. I would certainly value your input and experience with the team. Arthur has been exceedingly helpful at getting us settled in, and I would like you to meet the rest of our engineering team that joined us here. We think we are making some headway in what has been limiting the car's performance up until now.”

“It’s George, George Babington. I’m glad to hear that Arthur has been helpful and friendly… as he usually is.” He smiled back at Charlotte, then looked up at Sidney behind her trying to get him to engage by pointing out his brother’s welcoming nature.

Sidney finally looked toward Babington’s death stare before saying, “That sounds very promising Dr. Heywood. I’m glad the department has been… helpful.” He’d almost said ‘welcoming’ and realized that it would only remind her of his own ill behavior. Instead, he actually looked directly at her and gave a small smile. She met his look unflinchingly.

As if she could read his mind, she responded, “yes, Mr. Parker, they have been _very_ accommodating, and I hope that the department will work together well. Very… welcoming, I might add.”

“Yes. Well. that is good to hear,” he said more to the table than to her face, as he cleared his throat and reached for his glass of water to wash down the lump in his throat. He knew he was going to have to try to catch her alone for a moment to actually beg her pardon, but with his family and friends crawling all over the place, he wasn’t sure how. He had to find a way to get past this awkwardness. Maybe if he could get the others at the table to talk to one another. He spoke to Diana about something Mary had mentioned about the kids and getting them to eat more vegetables by blending them into meals undetected. Then he only had to distract Babington, and got Tom to talk to him and Michael about the facilities at the track for tomorrow. He took his chance and leaned quietly toward her.

“Um, Miss Heywood. I mean, Dr. Heywood… I hope you will… consider forgiving me my carelessness this morning. I spoke out of turn and did not listen to your attempts to… correct me. I was….” He did not know exactly what to say next. “I am not… I do not have the ability as others’ do to… well as you can see, words escape me… when I am in the company of new people.” He was genuinely contrite, and really hoped no one else had heard what he had said. “I am, very sorry if I insulted you this morning.” He had kept his head down, and only glanced at her periodically, noticing that she kept her attention focused on moving the food on her plate with her fork.

She took a breath. “How could I not accept such an apology? I think you do not give yourself enough credit for your speaking ability.” She dared a glance at him, noticing that he looked at her like he was almost in physical pain from having to say all of that out loud. She was sure that he was not accustomed to apologizing for anything. None of these racing drivers ever did, unless it was to the FIA Racing Stewards in an attempt to lessen any penalties they might give them for breaking the rules during a race. Otherwise, any missteps on the track were always 'someone else's fault.' She could almost look at it as a compliment, except that it really wasn’t, but decided that it was better to get it over with now than to let it drag on. It was the most logical approach. “I hope that this will allow us to work together more comfortably going forward.” It was a tight statement, but it did the trick.

“Thank you, Dr. Heywood.” And he looked at her and gave her a relieved half smile that seemed quite genuine.

If she had been thinking clearly after the ups and downs of the day, she would not have allowed herself to think twice about it. Instead, she looked him clearly in the eyes, without hurt or anger for the first time, and stopped. Everything stopped. He did not look away from her for the first time since accusing her of loitering that morning. With the sunlight now streaming through the sides of the tent, all she could do was notice that he had golden flecks in the deep brown of his eyes, and highlights in the turns of his short curly hair. She gave him a small smile back and suddenly felt the need to retreat. Somehow, he was looking inside her. Seeing through her, and she felt exposed, whether he realized it or not. It was…unexpected. Thankfully, Mary announced dessert which pulled her attention away quickly. Sidney and Diana were each served a bowl of fresh raspberries and blueberries in front of them. Everyone else received a slice of Raspberry Custard tart, drizzled with dark chocolate, and topped with a small scoop of vanilla gelato, made by a local company. Charlotte had a few bites, it was divine, but she wasn’t feeling hungry anymore.

Her dining companion was suddenly more relaxed and talking and smiling to the rest of the table. His more playful nature was not helping the static in her head. She needed to leave, she needed to work, she needed focus. “Arthur?” She looked over her right shoulder to his seat at the next table. “When you’re finished, I think we need to get back.”

“You are quite right, Charlotte.” He took the last bite of tart a la mode, and stood to walk over to her.

Charlotte thanked Mary graciously, and placed her napkin from her lap onto the table. Before she could stand, Sidney was already behind her getting the chair for her. “Thank you, Mr. Parker,” she said quietly, smiling softly but barely glancing up at him. She was grateful for Arthur’s quick interruption, and they said their goodbyes before heading back up the slope to the glass doors waiting for them.

They were almost to the wide sweeping patio off the entrance to their department, when from around the side of the building, two tall young men walked toward them. “Timothy! James!” Charlotte exclaimed and took several quick steps toward them. “I am so happy to see you. Have you gotten moved in to your new flat James?” The one with a mop of light brown curls had a sparkle in his eyes when he saw Charlotte was speaking with him.

“Charlotte, hello! Yes, all moved in a ready to work, boss.” James’ smile was so wide, Sidney could see it all the way from the pavilion, and he was not happy about witnessing this reunion, even from a distance.

“Arthur, this is our driver, James Stringer, and this bruiser is my younger brother Timothy.” She playfully punched at Timothy’s beefy arm before he grabbed her tiny frame in a big bear hug, picking her up and both of them laughing. Arthur shook their hands once Charlotte was back on her own feet. Charlotte felt like she could exhale for the first time that day. Now that some reinforcements were here, she suddenly started feeling more like herself. She asked after Alison, and Timothy said she had already left for home to help with the younger Heywoods.

“Well James, I believe we have seat fitting to do with you today! Among some other technical measurements for the halo and cockpit alignment. Plus, getting your preferences for the car and your steering wheel set up. Not to mention getting you fitted for your racing suits. Actually, quite a lot.” Arthur was back to his full energetic self, and it was hard not to feel energized when James Stringer was giving you the full wattage of his white smile.

“Arthur, it is OK if I give a little tour of our department to Timothy isn’t it? I’m not sure what the rules are about privacy, but I mostly want to show him how we’ve settled in.” She asked.

“Oh, I think a short tour is definitely called-for. I’m sorry you two couldn’t make it for lunch. My sister in law Mary knows how to throw a delightful meal.” He turned toward the pavilion and saw the rest of the luncheon group almost back to the patio, with Sidney in the lead.

As they approached, Michael stepped forward quickly to make introductions, and to greet his brother and his friend. He also felt relief at their arrival. It had been a day of many introductions and he needed some familiar faces right now. He beamed as he hugged his little brother who was 4 inches taller than him, and gave James a pat on the shoulder- a manly gesture among friends. Once he got his bearings, Michael turned to the Parkers and introduced Tom and Mary, Diana, Babington, Crowe, and finished with Sidney. Timothy was his outgoing gregarious self, and eagerly shook hands all around. James and Sidney were clearly sizing each other up, but James smiled and shook hands with his new employers and colleagues, shaking Sidney’s last. Crowe had seen James Stringer in a couple races in F3 and had a lot of compliments for him, they chatted and Sidney watched with interest at the interaction and whatever information Crowe was extracting out of James through their conversation.

It was chilly on the patio and away from the outdoor heaters. Mary excused herself to check on the caterers and to make sure everything was cleaned up properly. She apologized to James and Timothy, smiling in a way that insured that she had just made two new friends. Mary offered them lunch, as there was plenty left, but they had already eaten after Timothy had helped James move in to his new flat. Charlotte thanked Mary again for thinking of them, and Mary promised to have them over for a Sunday lunch once all the busyness of testing was over.

They entered the building in a large group, and Charlotte took Timothy and Michael to see the set up in her office. It was finally quiet in there, and somewhere the Heywoods could all breathe. There was a Bauhaus styled loveseat and a couple of matching arm less chairs, all in black leather and chrome, next to the full glass wall of her office which over looked the fabrication and engineering floor. Timothy plopped himself on the loveseat. He took after their grandfather on the Kent side of the family. 6 feet, 5 inches tall, straight, strawberry/sandy-blonde hair. It had turned more to a light brown as he had hit his teens, but the ginger was still there once the sunlight hit it. Bright blue eyes and fair skinned. He barely looked like their sibling, since Michael and Charlotte shared the brown curly hair and brown eyes of the Heywood side. But Timothy looked exactly like his grandfather Kent did when he was also 20. He had the physique expected from a personal trainer. He had been asked to work as a bouncer a few times at different clubs, but his nature was far too gentle under all that muscle. He wanted to help people be their best. The coaching part of his job was what he enjoyed about it, and physically tossing people out of a club was not in the plan.

“So, Dr. Lottie… what do you think?” Timothy asked, watching her reaction closely. As expected, he noticed that his new pet nickname for her had jostled her defenses. “What exactly did dad get you into here?”


	7. "Mind at Work"

Parker Racing

Chapter 7

“Mind at Work”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that Timmy-Tott.” Charlotte returned Timothy’s remark back to him with a lob of defiance. Charlotte was only 3 years older, and she had adored her “baby” when he was born. She read books to him when she was 4, and he chased after her before he reached 11 months. “Lottie and Tottie” was the nickname that 7-year-old Michael had given them after Timothy was mobile enough to follow her everywhere. Even though Timothy would eventually spend most of his childhood with Alison and his younger siblings, he had learned how to be a big sibling from the attention given to him by Charlotte when they were little. He also knew her moods and could tell when her mind was working at either breakneck speed, or when it was merely “filling in time” so that she could stop herself from thinking too much. Right now, she was filling time.

He knew that their dad had high expectations of this partnership, but the decisions and contracts were made and signed before Mr. Heywood’s diagnosis. Now, papa wasn’t here to guide them through it. Michael was brilliant at his job and what he did, but Charlotte’s role was significantly riskier. Her first position in Formula One and she was running the entire technical development of a team racing car. 10 teams, 2 cars per team, 20 cars total. No big deal, right? He knew better. Timothy didn’t know how to do what she did, but the process and responsibility was not lost on him. He cocked his head to the side, and locked eyes with her. Holding her eye contact, his sideways, sympathetic grin was all it took to get her to break.

“You know Timmy, I _know_ what’s in the contract, I _know_ what is expected of me, I _know_ what is mine and what is theirs. And I also know that this could all be temporary. I mean, I’m _only_ responsible for keeping the driver’s safe, and making sure that the mechanics and pit crew have the right tools to do their jobs. I’m SURE that the wheel guns need to be redesigned and built, and that probably also means the whole pit overhead needs to be redone, with the pneumatic set up to get the air pressure improved. And I _also_ know that they already have a car that works, it just isn’t working well. So now I am coming in, at the last minute practically, and doing what ever I can to make improvements. **If** they actually are improvements, and I'll find out if it works when everyone else does, and in front of every F1 team!” Her voice was raising and the frustrations and strain were there, but her expression changed little and he noticed that she had been checking over his shoulder out the window wall of her office. Anyone looking in could see them and she would not give them any reason to gossip. He leaned forward to her with his forearms resting on his giant thighs, and he gently took her left hand and put both of his around it.

“I know that you know what you’re doing. I’ve seen you do it, remember? I just want you to know to ask for help when you need it. Even if you need dad to make a phone call to make sure you get the support you deserve. I know Mikey here has your back, but he also has his own job to do. I also know that Papa would not have taken this offer if he didn’t think the family was prepared.” He straightened a bit and continued. “I know that Papa trusts you and has great regard for you. You should also remember that you might not be allowed to come home if you muff-it while ruining the family name, and destroying his life’s work and reputation.” His tone had clearly changed and Charlotte caught that he was making a joke at her and their father’s expense. He then added, “You could always give up and come home to design Karts.”

Charlotte’s steady face broke, and she tossed his hands back at him. Timothy couldn’t contain his laugh any longer. “Nice Timothy, _really_ nice.” Michael added, but his eyes were almost tearing up at the thought of their father disowning her or even entertaining such significant doubts in his eldest daughter. They had all learned a long time ago not to try and hold Charlotte back, and certainly not once she had actually chosen on her own to study race car design. But the ploy worked. All Charlotte needed was someone telling her she might not meet expectations for her to work even harder to exceed them. She might have those doubts when overwhelmed, but someone else saying them out loud merely stoked her resolve.

“Well done, coach,” she said to him crossing her arms in front of her, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes just a little. She knew what he was doing and why, but she didn’t like to feel so predictable. So malleable. She finally grinned a little, but kept shaking her head slightly at him. “You could just tell me to snap out of it, that works pretty well too.”

“Not nearly as much fun though.” At this point he was lucky he didn’t get a smack on the arm, but it wouldn’t have made a dent on him anyway. “Call me, or Alison, if you need a reality check. Anytime,” he said with another laugh.

“Right! Alison is worse than you are!” She countered. At this point she was finally laughing with them, and wasn’t paying attention to the window or who might be watching. It was just her and her brothers, older and younger, but the ones who had always been there for her and with her. Even when she had been away at school, Aunt Augusta would bring her home on weekends when she could, they had exchanged letters and emails, texts, and Facetime had changed everything. She had been gone, but she had never felt separate. “As much as I love my brothers shining a light on all my faults and insecurities, I still have a car to fix, and another one being built to oversee.” She rose from her chair and they followed her lead, dwarfing her with their height. She hugged her Timmy-Tott, a full foot taller than her, roles now reversed from their early years.

She gave Timothy a quick walk through the production areas, and Michael went to oversee the work the engineers were doing with James. Needing to get back to Willingden, Timothy said his goodbyes to Michael with promises to come back soon. He found James dressed in a racing suit for getting a proper fit with the seat. While he was sitting in a cockpit, the engineers were pouring the epoxy mixture into the seat, but behind the plastic sheet between him and the seat mould. “That looks fun.” He said with nothing but sarcasm.

“It does feel a little gooey, but at least I’m not sitting _in_ it,” James laughed.

“I’d fear for your manly-bits if you were,” Timothy added as he looked at the bag of goo that was being pushed behind the plastic sheet.

“No, they could not pay me enough for that,” James laughed, but then silenced himself and changed his demeanor as Charlotte approached. Timothy knew he was being respectful towards his sister, which he appreciated. He really liked James, they were genuine friends and work out buddies, but he also noticed how James was when he was around her. He first noticed it in the Fall at the end of the F3 season. They had spent a lot of time together working on the different settings for the car. It certainly helped with the car development and their dominance by the end of the season. He was glad Charlotte had someone around who trusted her, that would help. He was also a little concerned that James had feelings for his sister that he did not think she shared.

For all of James’ excellent qualities, Timothy knew that he would not be able to crack through Charlotte’s stubbornness. James was a great guy, kind, funny, smart, and almost too patient to be a racing driver. But his sister needed something different. She needed someone who could and would challenge her, and James was too agreeable, too eager to support her. Great for a co-worker. Not great for a real relationship. She was too clever, too strategic. She needed someone who could occasionally put her in ‘check-mate.’ But he also worried for his friend. He didn’t want to see him with a broken heart. As she came to discuss the plan for James’ many fittings, and where they were with getting down all of his preferences in the car set up with the engineers, Timothy said his final good-bye to James and Charlotte. Walking out of the building, Timothy wondered if he was going to need to help defuse this situation. ‘Maybe James will meet someone, F1 drivers usually don’t have to look that hard,’ he thought. Hopefully it will settle down on its own. He waved good bye to Dolores, having met her when they arrived, and approached his car. He knew he might be overly optimistic about James and what he suspected his feelings were toward Charlotte, but he could still hope it wouldn’t get awkward.

Across the Lab at Arthur’s work station, Sidney was with him going over what changes Arthur and Charlotte had already worked on. He was impressed with the speed of their choices, and why they wanted to make those changes. He had seen the Heywoods in Charlotte’s office earlier, and tried to gauge what they were thinking or talking about. He had to admit, it would have been easier if he could lip-read, because Charlotte didn’t give much away. Her poker face was impressive. That was until they all seemed to break out in laughter, so he could only assume it was family stuff they were talking about.

Arthur was working through more of the results from the data when Sidney watched as Charlotte checked on James’ seat fitting, and said her goodbyes to her younger brother. Michael was now back working with James. As his Racing Engineer, it made sense that he would be there for the set up and to help them all understand the way James wanted his car to respond. It seemed a lot like his and Babington’s relationship, and stability between a driver and Racing Engineer could often make or break a race.

He noticed she was now walking toward them, and turned quickly to watch Arthur and he hoped she had not seen him watching her. He had to admit, she was an unknown factor in all of this. How much help would she actually be to Arthur, and would her contribution be as significant as everyone had hoped? He would believe it when he could see it on the track.

“Hi Arthur! How is it looking?” She walked right past Sidney and looked over Arthur's shoulder. There on the screens was the latest draft of the floor component in combination with the current body parts, and she started to analyze it. She asked to use the mouse, and zoomed in on different parts, rotated it and zoomed in and then out again. She turned the model to view from the top down, and then all the other sides and angles. She and Arthur discussed their theories and questioned themselves and each other about them. For only knowing each other a few hours, they seemed to communicate in a way that was free from judgement and competition. They only seemed to be focused on the final goals. Sidney was impressed at the speed of their familiarity, and mutual understanding of what they wanted to achieve.

“OK, I want to check this on my office computer one more time before we build,” she said as she clicked a few more things in order to send the model to herself.

‘That’s different,’ Sidney thought, but before she walked away Diana approached them. She remarked to Charlotte that she was hoping they could get to know each other better before the season started and they started traveling together as a team. She wanted to write down her contact and email information for her and opened the nearest draw to look for a pen and some paper.

Arthur’s eyes grew wide, and Charlotte looked at him after hearing his small gasp, and then looked where his eyes were locked, at his now open desk drawer. They were still there. Mrs. Freshley’s Powdered Doughnuts. He could have kicked himself.

“Arthur! How many times have I told you how bad these are for you?!” Diana looked as though she had found sticks of dynamite, and not a half-eaten package of doughnuts. Without thinking, Charlotte reacted.

“There they are! Sorry Arthur, I know I promised to clean them up.” She looked at Diana guiltily, “I know, they are terrible, aren’t they? We didn’t have anything for breakfast this morning at our flat, and that was all I had time to grab on the way here, being that it was so early in the morning.” Arthur was stunned, and just shrugged and nodded to agree with Charlotte when Diana looked at him.

“Oh! I am sorry Dr. Heywood! I hope you wouldn’t think I was judging you in such a difficult time of…transition. Arthur, I shouldn’t have accused you that way. It is funny though, they are one of his favorites since he was a child.” Diana smiled and looked between them but saw nothing to alert her. “Well, I’m off! See you later at the gym, Sidney.”

“Wouldn’t miss it, Di!” Sidney smiled and raised his hand as if waving as she left. Amused at what he had just witnessed, and also that Diana actually seemed to lose this battle. That was rare. Once she was out of ear shot and well on her way to the stairs-she never took the elevator- he turned to Arthur with a questioning look. Then a glance at Dr. Heywood who did not show any reaction.

“ _What_ , Sidney?!” Arthur was already sweating from his brow. “I was here till 2 am last night, the café was closed, no one else was here, and I was _hungry_!” With Sidney he at least could be honest. Sidney turned to Dr. Heywood, giving her a cool questioning look with his eyebrows raised slightly.

“And _your_ role in all of this?” He asked her.

“Role? I haven’t the slightest idea what you are talking about, Mr. Parker.” She held her face in check until the very end, when she surprised him with a wide-eyed innocent look, and then two seconds of a slight upturn of the left corner of her mouth before she had to look away. He couldn’t help it, he tried to not laugh at the situation, and how she had handled it. But he dropped his head trying to hide his wide grin, and looked down at the floor in an attempt to avoid her penetrating wide brown eyes.

“It seems I was mistaken then, Dr. Heywood.” He pulled himself together and finally looked full at her face when he said her name, and felt that twist again, and her expression changed, synchronized with the flip at his Solar Plexus. She looked…stunned, then grinned shyly and looked down at her feet. Just as he had done before. He swallowed and looked at Arthur’s computer screens, but couldn’t have told anyone what he saw there.

“I need to get to my office, Arthur, and go over those specs.” She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. “It shouldn’t take too long and then we need to get it to modeling and fabrication.” She didn’t say ‘good bye,’ or ‘be right back,’ or ‘see you later.’ She just looked at Arthur, nodded after she spoke and walked to her office as quickly and as nonchalantly as she could.

“I’m going to owe Charlotte **BIG** for that one,” Arthur said after she left. Sidney had almost forgotten he was there. “I mean, who looks for pen and paper anymore?!” Arthur, shaking his head, clearly annoyed, and was now back to complaining about Diana. “Does she not have a phone in her pocket?!” All rhetorical questions, of course, especially when it came to his sister and her love for all things analog.

“What did she mean by, ‘check this in my office, Arthur?’” Sidney finally asked.

“Who? Oh yes, Charlotte. Turns out one of the keys to their success last season is a program Charlotte has been working on. It helps to analyze the data in a different way. It seems to find things much more quickly. The program runs from the Heywood server that’s linked to her office. It might actually be more than one program, not sure, but we have been able to make a lot of headway because of it.” Arthur replied.

Sidney’s brow furrowed in thought, and then looked toward the glass wall of her office. He saw parts of her between the four screens on her desk, the glow of the blue light highlighting the bits of her face that he could see. She was clearly focusing on the information they had been reviewing. He frowned a little, again in thought. He still had his doubts, but he had to admit, she really wasn’t what he expected after their first meeting, or their second at lunch, and certainly not after she fell on her sword to protect Arthur from Diana’s doughnut wrath. In fact, it seemed that he could not ‘expect’ anything in relation to Dr. Heywood. Every interaction left him more puzzled, and with even more questions than before. And he hated to admit it, nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title borrowed from Lin Manuel Miranda and his masterpiece, "Hamilton."


	8. A Short Parker Family History.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little long, but I really like this one. :) Plus, Charlotte makes a new friend. 
> 
> *Warning-Some talk of death and loss

A Short Parker Family History

Chapter 8

She couldn’t remember the last time she had stayed up for more than 24 hours, and she still had hours to go. It took the team more than 3 hours to build the carbon fiber layers onto the foam mould for the new floor design, even with extra hands working on it. Then it took another 8 hours to cure in the autoclave because the part was thick with layers to add stability. Then, its edges needed to be sanded down and fitted to the current chassis. It was now 3 am, and the packing of all the necessary bits and pieces had already been underway. The car was partially assembled, and some of what they needed was already at the Brands-Hatch Race track, about 2 hours away. But this early in the morning, the traffic would be non-existent, so they were hoping to make good time. Brands-Hatch used to host the British GP in the 80’s, so it was something of a pilgrimage to be able to go there and use it. Sadly, it was not set up for the needs of modern F1 racing, which made Silverstone the Grand Dame race track, and fixed home for the BGP. It was not, however, open for preseason testing, plus it was twice the distance from Sanditon.

Arthur’s energy certainly helped get them through the night. Charlotte was sure that she was getting by on espresso and anxiety. The reminder of possibly letting down her father, after everything he had done for her and given her, was at the core of all her motivations right now. She could not mess up her first big change or design of the car. They had checked and rechecked, and had the other engineers check and then recheck each other before moving forward. The consensus had been unanimously positive, and they were all anxious to see what this might do on the track today. The first lorry had already left with most of the supplies and extra parts. Charlotte was with Arthur and Babington as they watched the partially assembled car being loaded on its platform where it would be winched in place to prevent damage.

“You two ready for this?” Babington asked with a smile. Charlotte wondered what he would look like if he was cross; she couldn’t imagine it with how pleasant and chipper he had been. She reminded herself that he had actually gone home and had some sleep last night, as had Michael.

Arthur answered for them, “As ready as anyone without sleep or breakfast can be.” But chuckled a little. Neither he nor Charlotte wanted to drive to the track because they were just too knackered. Luckily that had already been planned. Michael was driving, as was their Press Officer, whom Charlotte hadn’t met yet. She hadn’t realized the level of press attention the testing received, and felt uneasy with having to possibly deal with that after just 24 hours on the job. It was dark and cold outside, and the wind coming through the bay doors chilled Charlotte through. She begged off to head back to the department lockers so that she could find the hoodie she had worn in the morning before. Arthur and Babington were happy to give her a short break and stay to finish the loading procedure.

She had already retrieved her hoodie, stowed her laptop in its messenger bag, and was headed back through the main lobby when she heard someone calling her name.

“Charlotte Heywood, isn’t it?” The female voice inquired.

“Yes. That’s me.”

“So nice to finally make your acquaintance, Dr. Heywood. I’m Clara Brereton, the team’s Press Officer.” Charlotte adjusted the bag on her shoulder so she could shake her hand. Clara was the type of girl Charlotte always felt like an alien around. Clara was tall, at least 5’10”, bright blonde wavy hair gently pulled away from her face. She had large blue eyes, and what looked like a penchant for red lip gloss on her bow mouth. She was stunning, and it was 4 o’clock in the morning. Next to her, Charlotte suddenly felt like a Hobbit. A Hobbit that had been working all night in her hillside office. She almost laughed out loud at herself, giddy with fatigue, when she realized she probably had more in common with Hobbits, than with the tall willowy blonde in front of her.

“Oh, hello. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve never worked with a Press Officer before.” Charlotte placed her bag down and was attempting to put her arm through the sleeve of her hoodie.

“Is that what you’re planning to wear?” Clara asked, curiously. Charlotte nodded. “Oh, I think we can do better than that.” Clara smiled and gave her a wink. “You are in dire need of some team gear, Dr. Heywood. We can’t have our newest shining star appear without her proper team apparel in front of the press now, can we?” Smiling, she directed Charlotte to what she called the “Team Closet.” A floor display from H&M was a better descriptor. A large room with rows of vertical cubicles running from the top of storage cabinets on the floor, all the way up to the ceiling, and they were filled with current team shirts, trousers, Bermuda shorts, jackets, hats, vests, and even ties, all sorted by style and size. Hanging rods filled with various jackets, and even a few half mannequins modeling what each position would wear. Pit engineers, pit mechanics, control room uniforms, etc. She looked up and down Charlotte, “Size 6?”

Charlotte nodded, but added, “It sometimes depends. I’m a little larger on top than on the bottom.” She winced a little as she had never had to discuss her body type with a coworker before, let alone someone she had met 3 minutes ago.

“Oh yes, let’s see…” Clara, unfazed, and with precision, pulled down different sizes in several styles, long sleeves, short sleeves, turtlenecks, trousers, goose down and also fleece vests, and a pewter metallic team hooded jacket with a drawstring that cinched the waist. At least some of the styles were designed for women. She found some women’s trousers, for her to try on, and there was a sleek black curtain in front of a large changing room for her to see what worked.

“I imagine, this is not where the drivers get their racing suits and team kit,” Charlotte said jokingly from the dressing room.

“No, quite right.” Clara laughed. “I met your brother Michael and your driver James, yesterday. I must say, both of them are quite handsome. Practically made for television.” She paused. “Are they both single?” Charlotte smirked a little to herself in the wall-to wall, and ceiling to floor mirror on the back of the dressing room. That was certainly quick, she thought, as she turned and looked over her shoulder to see how her new clothes were fitting.

“Yes, they are both single. I don’t really talk to James about his dating life, but Michael had a girlfriend for a long time. They broke up over a year ago, though. We’ve all been busy working, and Michael has been traveling for more than a year now with the Heywood team.” She didn’t have to see Clara through the curtain to know that Clara was pleased with that answer.

“Well, that may help with getting James some attention in the press, besides the fact that he’s in his rookie year.” Clara added. “Not unlike actors, if the drivers are single, there’s more of a story to tell, more curiosity among fans. At least the female ones, and some of the men too, of course.” She watched Charlotte as she came out of the drawn curtain. “I see what you mean, those trousers will _not_ do.” She turned to the shelf and brought down a smaller pair, as well as some track pants that could work in a pinch. “We may need to have some things altered for you. With such a sweet little figure, we can’t let you drown in these clothes. I often wear the skirt," she said, gently pulling the fabric of the one she was wearing. "I insisted they add one when I started. A nice black pencil skirt, better quality than some of this stuff, but I don’t think that would do for you on the Pit Wall.” She smiled and gave Charlotte a wink. “It’s going to be quite chilly today. I suggest the turtleneck, the fleece vest and the long jacket, since you'll be out in the elements. We can bring one of the goose-down jackets as well if it stays cloudy.” Pulling a few more items from the shelves, she handed Charlotte exactly what she should wear, and proceeded to fill a team duffel bag with all the extra items she would need for now. “Come in here any time you need something new, or for a different climate. It’s always open for senior staff.” Charlotte re-emerged, “Oh yes, those trousers are _much_ better. Shoe size?”

“5,” Charlotte responded. And Clara handed her a box of shoes from one of their team sponsors, and put another box in a team backpack for her with some of the team hats. 

“Very nice,” Clara smiled at her once she was fully kitted out. “Now you are officially a member of the Parker Racing Team. We should get you something to eat and you can ride with me. I think Arthur left already with your brother, or Babington. This gives us girls a chance to get to know each other better on the ride. There aren’t many women who work on the travel crew, so it will be nice to have a fresh face with us.” As much as Clara worked in PR and Media management, and promoting Charlotte was her job, she truly was intrigued to meet this young woman who seemed to be setting everything here on end. She had already heard a lot of good things from James and from Michael, of course. Tom was simply gushing about her, but she knew that was Tom’s way with everything. No, better to go straight to the source she thought, and secretly planned this meeting and trip by yesterday afternoon.

An extra-large latte, a banana, and a bacon sandwich later, Charlotte started to feel more alert. Clara had handed her a liter bottle of water, and urged her to hydrate after her long night. Charlotte thought she had never had so many people be concerned with what she was eating and drinking as she had since arriving at Parker’s. At some point, after all the typical conversation starters, school, family history, boyfriends- Charlotte had 2 serious boyfriends and Clara had too many to count; all of those 'getting to know you,' conversations. Clara then set up her next round of talking points.

“I like you Charlotte, someone like you is long overdue at Parker’s _, let alone_ F1. I truly hope we will be able to develop a genuine friendship. And because of that, I need you to know what you are walking into.” Charlotte suddenly became apprehensive. She had already “walked” into a lot of difficult situations, but she wanted to hear what Clara had to say. She looked at her while Clara kept her focus on driving, and nodded with an “OK.”

“I know you have lived your life in a pressure cooker, no one in F1, or anywhere that I know, has had a trajectory like yours. Whether the car performs well or not, you will get negative press along with the positive. _Now_ , I will do everything I can to help and to fix anything that arises in the coming months, and I want you to know you can rely on me, and that I will always have your back. But there are ‘old boy’ journalists and bloggers, who are really threatened by women coming into motorsports. You probably already know this, but there will be people on other teams, and maybe even this team, who will resent you just because of your uterus. And when our cars start beating theirs, because I am sure you will be able to make this happen,” and she turned and smiled at Charlotte as she said that, “It _will_ only get worse. They will try and drag you down and make you doubt yourself to try and make you crack, make you lose.”

Charlotte nodded. These were things she knew, she expected, she just hadn’t had anyone lay it in front of her like that before. Her family had always protected her, and she had worked for them starting last year, right out of her PHD. Clara was right, this was different. “I see. I think I knew that. I mean those are things I’ve experienced before, even other students trying to sabotage my research. Trying to cheat off of me, since I was quite young, actually.” She shook her head, those were bad memories, but they had taught her to be extra cautious. “And you’re right, they were almost always men or boys who were a lot older than I was. The age difference in school was…difficult sometimes.”

“You’re obviously very clever Charlotte, that goes without saying, but I would like to do some media training with you. Maybe your brother Michael too, but honestly, you are the one everyone will be watching. Especially if the cars are worth watching, right? We have two crazy-handsome drivers, and the Pit Wall is looking especially good this year” she added with a grin. “I really hope this comes across right.” She chewed on her lower lip and finally started. “You are a remarkably pretty young woman. I can see that you probably don’t know that or even think about that, since you are always thinking about bigger and better things. I would like to help you find a balance, a style, a routine if you will, that will help you be yourself, but also be your best. Especially under all, _this_ craziness of F1,” and she gestured her left hand in a circle.

Charlotte thought she had actually said that really well. No wonder she works in PR. And Clara was right, she didn't take time to think about her dress or her hair. She had always been blessed with great skin, so she rarely even wore makeup. She really _didn't_ think about those things. Clara must be really good at her job, she thought. “I think I understand what you mean. Maybe a little ‘buff and polish,’ without a complete redesign.” She looked at Clara hoping she understood.

Clara laughed, “Yes. Exactly, just a little ‘detailing work’, since we are using car analogies.” Her smile grew, glad that she hadn’t offended her. “I’m only asking that you trust me, and allow me to make some plans, and spend some time with you so that we can find the right approach that works _for_ you. I don't want anyone making an issue about your look, or how you present yourself. My Aunt always said, 'Be beyond reproach, that way any criticism merely falls off your armor'.”

“OK, I can do that.” She nodded and answered honestly, feeling that she had heard that somewhere before, but too tired to think about when and where. She decided that she was determined to go through with any of Clara's suggestions. She clearly knew what she was talking about.

“Some of what may come will probably push you outside of your comfort zone. Are you comfortable with black-tie or cocktail dress occasions?” Clara inquired.

“Well, I went to a couple events when I was in Boston, usually something that had to do with the school or the department. They weren't glitzy society events. Academics don’t usually throw parties like that.” Charlotte did suddenly feel outside her comfort zone, and it showed in her eyes as the wrinkle between her brows appeared.

“Well, that is why I want to talk about it now. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed when something like that comes up, and they do fairly regularly. Every time Formula One shows up in a town or a city, it’s their biggest event of the year. It’s their yearly 'World Cup,' you see. So, we are put in these large, and sometimes exceptional annual celebrations. That’s why I want to help you prepare for that side, so you can focus on your work side. But again, I want our goal to be helping you find things that are still _you_. Most people don’t dress like they’re going to a red-carpet event with the Queen for these types of things. Certainly, some people do. With my job, an… ‘elevated look’ is somewhat expected. I often have to do that. But for you, people will be more interested in you, and not how you look, but sadly some people will judge by looks, so I want you feeling confident, and feeling your best. You are a young and rather beautiful woman, Charlotte, as well as an intellectual. I want to help you highlight all of your virtues and talents. Plus, as it is my job is to jump in and distract when necessary, I promise to do just that if those oafs get out of control.” She smiled at Charlotte, and rather genuinely, Charlotte thought. She felt a little more reassured and nodded with a grin to show Clara that she understood. With another smile, Clara added “we only have a little longer till we get there, so take time to rest and I will keep my mouth shut.” And that was the last thing Clara said until they reached the front gates of the race track. They showed their team badges Clara had brought and pulled up to the parking area right behind their team trailers behind the pit garages.

Charlotte hadn’t been here since she was a little girl, when she and Michael had come to a race with their father. She wasn’t even sure what race it was. They walked through the security check, then Clara led the way to the Parker team trailers. She gave her a tour of the team control rooms: two tractor trailers that opened up like Transformers to create two floors of offices, conference rooms, computer rooms for engineers to process data in real time at the track, and a hospitality suite for catering. It was all very slick and polished, not unlike headquarters. Things were very quiet compared to an actual race weekend, according to Clara. Charlotte found Michael in one of the offices, going over readings from the last test. He was there to see how the car was working, since he wasn’t needed as James’ Racing Engineer yet. They talked, and discussed when Michael would head back to continue helping with the development of James’ car. She then found the office she and Arthur would likely share, and was able to put her things away, but took her laptop with her.

It was 6:20 When she finally got to the pit garage. She and Clara had parted ways as Clara was expected in the press room. The team had redesigned their garage package just last year, so the wall panels were glossy and sleek as she walked in. The upper part of the wall was white, dark ocean blue waves with cerulean highlights were lapping up from the floor to the bottom third of the walls. A nod to Sanditon itself. Tool trolleys were perfectly organized under the extra counter space, and the lighting was perfectly spaced over the car positions. Charlotte was pleased to see they had a well-designed engineer island that split the two garage spaces in the middle, but only a few of the usual computers were set up for today. The car was on the right, Sidney’s side of the garage, since his was the only one ready to test, and the pit mechanics were working hard at assembling the parts with some directions from George Babington and Arthur. It was set up on the dollies as the wheels and tyres were not yet on. The engine looked like it was on life-support as the precisely heated oil was being pumped through tubes into and out of the engine cylinders, keeping everything between 80 and 90 degrees C. It was important for getting the pistons and cylinders warm enough to protect the engine, and it’s horse power, when the engine started.

“What do we think, gentlemen? Is she starting to look ready?” Charlotte asked George and Arthur, with her laptop under one arm, and her hand on her hip with the other.

“Looks like,” said George. “I know Sidney’s preferences, but his settings will probably change as the car does. We’ll see how it works for him this morning, and maybe make some adjustments for this afternoon.”

Charlotte was getting butterflies as she watched and talked with the mechanics as they worked. She really wanted things to go well, and it was always exciting and nerve-wracking the first time running a car with new parts. After talking with Clara, she had felt even more pressure than she already had. Working in the factory and with the engineers and designers was her safe space. Seeing it run on the track was all about performance. Not only the car’s abilities, which she was responsible for, but the driver’s performance as well. Getting the two to work together was the trick, and she really did not know much about Sidney.

As if her thoughts had conjured him, Sidney walked in the garage from the back, and immediately greeted his mechanics. Laughing and joking between more serious conversations about the balance and set up. She stood near Arthur and chatted, discussing more ideas for improvements, but spent more time watching them set up Sidney’s car. She watched as he discussed putting more brake pressure at the front to give the car more under-steer than the last test, he discussed tyre pressure for the cooler weather they were having, as well as which tyre compounds they would test today as well. He also wanted to try the car with a stiffer suspension setting to test the new floor. He had just finished going over the settings on his steering wheel with another of the engineers, making sure it was programed the way he liked it, when Arthur called him over.

“Morning, brother. Feeling fit?”

“Of course, Arthur. You know our sister, doesn’t let me sit idle for long,” Sidney smiled at him in return, before turning his attention to Charlotte. “Good Morning, Dr. Heywood. Can’t wait to see how the car feels today. Let me know if there are setting changes I can make in the car while on track, or if there are certain conditions you want to get data for. I guess we really won’t know all of what we want to test until she gets out there.”

George Babington had joined the group from the garage half way through Sidney’s check-in. “How funny, you both referred to your car as ‘she’.” He chuckled. “I always thought racing cars were ‘he’s’.” He gave a teasing quizzical look to Sidney and then smiled toward Charlotte.

Charlotte finally spoke, “Did we? I guess I always feel like I put so much in to the cars I work on, that they become a part of me, or at least I’m a part of them.” She realized that might have been a step too far, and she hoped she hadn’t made things awkward. She tended to fall into these traps when she spoke her mind too honestly. The last person she expected to ‘save’ this situation spoke up.

“Don’t be ridiculous Babington, a car that looks like that could only be a ‘she.’ Far too pretty to be anything else.” Sidney glanced over at Charlotte after he spoke.

“And far too complicated,” Babington laughed.

“Oh, we are all complicated Babers, except maybe for you. The lesser burdens of an uncomplicated mind.” Sidney teased his friend.

“Are you having a go, Sidney? I would remind you who helped you get through calculus in 6th form!” George said, affronted, but still teasing his friend.

“How could I possibly forget? You bring it up every chance you get.” Sidney said, and playfully ruffled George’s hair.

“That’s it!” George went to grab his arm and Sidney ran to dodge him as they laughed like 12-year-olds on the football pitch, trying to wrestle each other to the ground.

“Are they always like this?” Charlotte asked Arthur quietly.

“Oh, not always.” He answered. “I think it’s mostly when everyone is a little tense and they need to blow off some steam. You know _, lads_ , and all that _._ At least they don’t box with each other anymore, I don’t think George could have taken it much longer.”

“Boxing? Really?!” Charlotte was surprised. They all had seemed so…posh.

“Oh yes, back in their school days, mostly.” He said. “It was a miracle really, that Sidney was able to do some of his schooling through tutors and correspondence when he started racing more competitively. But Mr. Lambe insisted he was able to finish with a proper education. I remember it being quite a balancing act. Boarding schools don’t really like students to leave campus that much, but he proved that he could do it, so they let him continue.”

“Mr. Lambe?” She asked.

“You don’t know about Reggie Lambe? I forget you’ve only been here a day Charlotte, it feels like we’ve known you so much longer.” He smiled at her and she suddenly felt very at ease to be there. “Well, when mother and father died, Mr. Lambe helped to keep the racing team going, and took Sidney under his wing with his racing career. Sidney probably wouldn’t be here today without him. He really was like a second father to Sidney. It broke his heart when he died 6 years ago. Sid had just been in Formula One for only a season, or so, when he passed. I was worried he was going to crash the car for a while, he was such a mess. But Reggie had left him G to take care of, which helped him snap out of it.” Charlotte’s wrinkle between her brows answered Arthur’s own question before he asked it. “G, Georgiana, she’s Reggie’s daughter. Sidney is her guardian. They had spent a lot of time together with Reggie when they were young. She’s 18 now, and still at school of course, but quite an heiress. Reggie was terribly successful. He partnered with father in the early days of the racing team, so we had known him and his wife Lillia our whole lives. Now _she_ was gorgeous! She was from Antigua, but came here to work as a fashion model; tall, stunning, and the kindest woman. She died when G was just a toddler. I guess our family might have saved Reggie back then…hadn’t really thought about that before.” His eyes looked off like he was reliving some memories from a very long time ago.

Charlotte felt the need to rescue him from divulging anymore that might upset him. The two of them were already going on zero sleep, and she was sure his defenses were down. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea, Arthur. You have all really been through a lot.” She bit her lower lip in thought. It had, suddenly and abruptly made her childhood seem so very safe, and almost normal. Arthur turned to her and smiled. His eyes were a little watery, but that could also have been from the chilly wind catching them at that moment. They looked over at Sidney and George still ‘playing.’ Sidney’s racing suit was only half zipped up and the upper half was hanging open over his hips while he wore his team fireproof mock neck as his shirt and under-layer. They witnessed as George caught hold of one of his sleeves that was hanging loose from his waist, pulling Sidney back, and then grabbing him from behind, pinning Sidney’s arms to his side in a bear hug, and lifting him up with a grunt. Sidney had lost, and George was screaming “Victory! Victory!” Jostling him a bit before releasing Sidney back down to the ground. They were all laughing, especially the mechanics and engineers, but Charlotte noticed that Arthur was probably enjoying it more than anyone else. Joy. It seemed like there hadn’t been as much of that in their lives, Charlotte thought. It might also explain Arthur’s nature. His innate ability to look for the positive, to find humor where ever he could, and as often as possible. Yes, it all seemed to explain quite a lot about the Parker’s. Or at least, Arthur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to add that I completely stole the "engine on life-support," from Richard Hammond. It was such an accurate description of an F1 engine that I didn't want to change it.


	9. Testing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Boring" notes that will help to understand some of the vernacular around F1:
> 
> -Tyres. All tyres used in F1 are made by Pirelli. There are 5 different types of slick tyres:  
> Hypersoft- grip well, but degrade faster, especially when the track is hot.  
> Ultrasoft- a step up from the hypersoft, similar tyre wear under hot conditions.  
> Soft- Still a softer tyre, but has better durability  
> Medium- a Harder tyre, does well at high speed circuits and holds up better in hot temps.  
> Hard- the Hardest tyre that is available, does well with very high speed circuits, like Monza, and hot conditions.
> 
> Also, two types of wet tyres that have actual tread to channel water. "Intermediate", and "Full Wet".
> 
> The FIA picks 3 tyre compounds for the teams to pick from to use for each race. The types of tyres are chosen by the type of track, and expected temperatures. Each driver only gets a certain amount of full sets to use between qualifying and the race. Racing rules also state that more than one compound has to be used in a race. Unless it's raining, when one type of the wet tyres can be used. It's more important that the type of tyre used for the wet conditions is the also the safest for those conditions. 
> 
> That also means that every race they use at least two different types of tyres, and they are required to make at least one pit stop in order to change those tyres. 
> 
> "Box" is the term used to signify on the radio for a driver to come into the pits for tyre change or maintenance, if there is a problem. Quick, simple, and can't get mistaken for anything else.
> 
> Again, I am not an expert nor do I work in any field related to motorsports. I've done a lot of research, but please don't take everything related to the science of the car as absolute fact. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 9

Testing

It had only been the day before yesterday that Sidney last sat in this year’s car. Or at least the first version of it. He knew that was just a building block, and at least they had figured out what wasn’t working. Even if they still didn’t know what would. He watched as his mechanics assembled the outer coverings piece by piece around the car,and over the fluid tanks and electrical and hydraulic lines. It was almost ready. He had noticed that Dr. Heywood had gone over to the pit crew to talk to them, then they seemed to discuss the construction and design of the wheel guns that remove the large bolt which holds the rims and tyres onto the car. It is a critical piece of equipment, and he was impressed that she was already thinking about that when there were so many other things to concern her. Then she worked with, what must have been one of the Heywood engineers, to check all the pneumatic equipment which powered the wheel guns. He finally allowed himself a half grin when he heard her questioning the other engineers present about the maximum psi and if they didn’t think finding a way of increasing that would help with the pit times. She was definitely surprising.

It was finally time to sit in the car. Before climbing in, he pulled on his fire-proof balaclava, put on his helmet and adjusted the strap. He then attached his HANS Device which attached to the back of his helmet to stabilize his neck in case of a crash. Once he was seated, strapped in his shoulder harness, and the additional shoulder cover was fixed on, he then attached his steering wheel to its post in front of him. He was effectively locked-in to place and ready to go. He checked his team radio, and spoke with Babers, who was also checking in with the Number 1 Mechanic who oversees the starting procedure. Everyone in the Pit Garage and on the Pit Wall had their headsets on, and it was nearing time to fire up the engine.

In Formula One racing, heat is a critical component. The engine, the tyres, the brakes, they all need extreme temperatures to work at their optimal levels. Not enough heat can damage the engine. Not enough heat in the tyres causes them to lose grip and car starts acting like it’s on ice. Not enough heat in the brakes, and the car can’t stop fast enough, which can spell disaster. Prepping the car, also means getting it hot enough to work, while it sits in the garage, until it can build up more heat on the track.

The mechanics had already fitted the soft compound tyres on the car, hoping they would grip well in the colder temps. Each tyre had its heating blanket on and wrapped tightly around it until it was time to go, and each cover was marked for its location on the car, so they were perfectly fitted. Sidney got the 'thumbs up' that they were starting the engine ignition procedure. Behind him he knew his mechanics were checking that the oil temps and the engine temperature were in the correct range.

The rear engine mechanic inserted the starting crank into the clutch, and used the drill-like mechanism to turn over the engine. The throttle was increased at the rear to get it at a consistent, but medium-low RPM, which helped move the oil evenly through the cylinders and around the pistons. Sensors throughout the car were checked by the engineers watching the information transmitted on their computer screens, checking for any irregularities. Then, when the No. 1 Mechanic gave the all clear, the last oil umbilical hose was removed from the engine. The car was still not Sidney’s to drive until he got the all clear for the pit lane from Babington. Finally, the hand signals were given, the 1st Mechanic moved from his post directly in front of the nose of the car, all warming blankets were removed from the tyres simultaneously with another signal, and the car sprung out of the pit garage with a screaming growl. The Pit Lane limiter was on, keeping his speed at 60km maximum until he cleared the pit lane and the pit lane exit. Sidney used his steering wheel to change his gears quickly as soon as he was clear, and pushed on the throttle with his left foot, all within a series of split seconds. 

“Woah”

That was the first transmission they heard over the team radio from Sidney, after he had pulled onto the track. Then for a while, it was quiet. The Pit Wall for Parker Racing consisted of 5 people. Some teams use more, or less. Situated directly across from their open garage doors, but across the pit lane, it gave a birds eye view of the goings on in the garage. It shared the concrete barrier between the Pit Lane and the track itself. On the other side of the wall was the start/finish line, and the starting grid for race days. But instead of a great track-side seat to watch the race, the Pit Wall was actually a bank of stacked computer screens and digital monitoring boards that were unique to each team. The multitude of sensors on the cars relayed directly to the Pit wall, the engineers in the control room in the complex behind the Pit Garage, and the engineers on the ‘island’ inside the garage.

The Pit Wall for each team essentially looked like an oversized row of arcade video games with high stools in front of them. But this is Formula One, so everything was done with smooth styling and superior materials and electronics. It protected those special enough to earn a seat on one of those stools with a shallow, but solid, awning that stretched from one end to the other. Yes, it protected them from the elements, and kept the sun off the screens so they could read them in the daylight, but it also helped to keep prying eyes from their vital team statistics, which helped keep other teams guessing.

On the far right, sat George Babington, Race Engineer for Sidney Parker, Lead Driver. To his left sat another Parker brother, Lead Track-side Engineer, Arthur Parker. The seat on _his_ left was for the new Chief Technical Director, Dr. Charlotte Heywood. On her left the seat would eventually be occupied by Mr. Fred Robinson, Sporting Director. His job was to monitor and ensure that all track, FIA, and F1 regulations and rules were being adhered to by the team, as well as working with the team’s lead strategist. But Fred was currently on Paternity Leave. Lastly, the final far left seat would be taken by Race Engineer, Michael Heywood for the new Team Driver, James Stringer. It was typical to put the two Racing Engineers at opposite ends for two important reasons. 1, to give them the same access to the people who sat in the middle. 2, to protect each driver’s race strategy from his teammate, by keeping some things unsaid to the other Racing Engineer.

Brands-Hatch Track has 9 big turns, including a tricky hairpin, two short straights and one long one that also changes elevation. The Grand Prix circuit consists of 2.433 miles, or 3.916km, and the track record is a blistering 1:09.593, set by Nigel Mansell in 1986 with his turbo-charged V-6 engine.

35 seconds into Sidney’s first lap, Babington transmitted a check-in. Primarily to verify that all systems were running well and that they weren’t seeing any problems from their end.

“All systems working from here. Confirm?

“Confirm, George. She’s got a lot of grip in the front. Trying to get heat into the rears.” Responded Sidney.

“Understood.” Was George’s quick, and common, reply of confirmation that most teams used on the team radio channel.

It was the first lap, and the important thing was to get some heat into the tyres and on the brakes to help with performance, and to watch the sensor transmissions for anomalies. Things like vibrations, overheating, fluid leaks, brake issues, tyre wear, tyre temperatures, imbalances, down force, and how the wings were helping or not, all of these things and more were being measured and plotted on graphs. The graphic of the track showed them exactly where he was on the track in real time, so they could also see where the driver’s information correlated to track conditions.

It wasn’t long until the mechanics that were watching from the chain-link fence along the pit wall saw and felt the car go past them. Sidney had relayed some information back to Babington, but wanted more time to heat the tyres in the chilly weather. The tarmac was cold, and no other cars were on the track to help heat it up. So far, from what they could see from the telemetry data, things looked fine. They could see that he had done some weaving back and forth to heat the tyres and the brakes. Right before he approached the start/finish line to start his 3rd lap, Sidney transmitted. “Ok Babers, I’m going to take her out a little faster.”

“Copy.” George replied

They watched as his speed increased before starting the next lap. They watched the screens and the boards. Charlotte was quickly looking at each data point in front of her and mentally comparing it with the telemetry data she had seen from the last test. She kept checking. Arthur looked at her, he wasn’t sure how much she was getting. He had been looking to see if the down force had improved. He also wanted to keep track of tyre wear, and heat. Those were some of the quickest indicators, along with speed and g loads shifting in the turns, to gauge if the performance of the car was improving.

Charlotte seemed to be paying attention to a lot of other information as well, in fact it looked like she was actively watching every screen, but that couldn’t be possible, could it? She then opened her lap top and started to type in some of the data, or maybe taking notes. He knew this was beyond his scope, but it was fascinating to watch. He had to force himself to keep track of all the telemetry readings in front of him because Charlotte’s ever-changing expressions were fascinating in and of themselves. He especially enjoyed the deep furrow that would form between her brows, or when her eyes would open wide and then narrow in thought. Even rarer was the small grin. He really wished he could read her mind. George’s voice broke through everything Arthur was frantically trying to keep an eye on, including Charlotte.

“Ok Sid, lets open it up a little. Time to really test gear 8.”

“Understood.” Sidney acknowledged.

Charlotte shifted in her seat and leaned in to watch several of the digital read outs more closely, typing blindly as she watched the changes. Several laps in at the higher speeds, George came through again.

“Ok, time to push through sector 2. Push through sector 2. We are losing time through that last turn.”

Again, Sidney confirmed. All tracks are broken down into 3 sectors, it helps the drivers break down where they are performing well, and where they are losing speed in a lap. Another 40 minutes of driving, and Babington told Sidney to cool it down a lap and return to the pits.

“One more lap Sid, then box.”

“Understood, box this lap.” Sidney confirmed to help the pit crew and mechanics be ready for the car’s return to the garage.

It had been a good session, nothing had gone wrong, and the data they had seen looked much more promising. Plus, the fast laps were over 8 seconds faster than the previous session. A huge improvement. They would have another one in the afternoon to measure the car with a different fuel load and different tyres.

To the casual bystander, it might not have looked like much, but Charlotte was pleased. Very pleased. She saw the improvements in the data, and wanted to get back to her office and work on aerodynamic improvements that were flashing through her mind as she was reviewing the data. She was so engrossed with the information in front of her she ignored Arthur and George as they tried to talk to her. Michael leaned over the back of his stool smiled at them, and put his index finger up to his lips to quiet them. Then he motioned for them to step away from the Pit Wall and they moved toward the empty side of their garage, leaving Charlotte analyzing what was in front of her.

Sidney had just pulled in front of his garage, and the mechanics motioned for him to cut the engine. The dollies were rolled under the new floor, and the car was pushed backward into its parking spot. The mechanics helped to pop off the shoulder cover while he removed his steering wheel. Sidney undid his restraints and stepped up on his seat and out of the car. He replaced his £20,000 steering wheel and took off all of his head gear. Raking his hand through his matted, sweaty hair, he noticed the men from the pit wall standing nearby in the garage, and looked back at the wall to see Charlotte still there, seemingly hard at work. Diana was immediately at his side with his drink, and they chatted for a minute before he walked across the garage.

“Well Lord George, what did you think?” Sidney said with a smile.

“Well Sidney, I think we are all waiting to see what _you_ think.” He replied with a smile. Sidney took another long drink from his straw and looked at them. Then he took a small step to his side so he was turned slightly toward the Pit Wall.

“I think…I’m impressed. The grip from the tyres, even in the cold was better than the other day. Handling through the turns, especially the hair pin, was a lot tighter and gave me more options with the driving lines around the track. I’ll be interested to see what you find in the data, Arthur.” He said all this as he was turning back to look at them, then added. “We have plans for what we’re working on this afternoon, yes?”

Arthur replied, “Yes, we want to try the medium compound tyres later, and try some adjustments with the suspension and brake bias with a heavier fuel load. I’m not sure about Charlotte, if she’s staying or needs to get back to the office. She might actually need some sleep. I’m feeling less than my best right now, I’m sure she’s knackered.”

Michael decided he needed to check on his sister. “Let me see how she’s feeling, sometimes she can go and go when inspiration hits, but she won’t be good to anyone if she shuts down from exhaustion. I’ll see what she thinks.” And then walked over to where she was still working.

She had felt Michael as he approached and put up her right hand to keep him quiet for a few minutes longer. He was leaning against the railing behind the stools when she finally swiveled her seat and looked up toward him. Her eyes were wide, and he could see that her brain was still working on something. It was a look he had been familiar with since she was about 5. In fact, he could see the fatigue written on her face which made her look even younger than her 23 years. He grinned at his little sister, and like many other times before, waited for her to talk.

“Michael, did you see? Did you see all the changes, just from the floor?! It was even better than I thought it would be!” She was speaking softly, but he could hear her excitement. “I know that there’s so much more we can do! I’ve been working out how we can make some minor adjustments to the wings, especially the front, and I think we could work out something new for the side impact protectors to help with air flow. And the suspension! There’s definitely work we can do there. Oh Michael! There are so many opportunities to make changes!”

He had been looking at her the whole time, watching her reaction like she was a child who had just gotten everything they had wanted from Father Christmas. His grin did not leave his face, and he hoped she realized that he was happy for her. He had seen the changes, all the differences she had seen. He also knew that she could take all of that information and make the adjustments, how she could change the data for _next_ time just by analyzing it now. She had her computer programs, sure, those helped. But more than anything, it helped other people see what she already could. For her those programs were a fail-safe. They checked her work for her, because she had already done the work. It was all Charlotte. All of it. And if he tried, he could not have been prouder of her in this moment than he already was.

“Yeah Lottie, I saw it. I saw all the changes. It was amazing wasn’t it? To see what you had made, and to see what a difference _it_ made. These cars are so different from what we worked on in F3, but I always knew you could do this, you know? I always knew it.” She looked a little overcome by his confidence in her. “I know you want to keep working, but you need a break, you need some sleep, something to eat.” Michael said, hoping she would be able to power-down for a bit and find a way to rest. He knew it was hard for her when everything started pulling together. He knew it was hard for her to just stop. In many ways, she was a lot like the cars she helped to build, on another level.

She looked down and then back at the screens, clearly thinking. She had taken a lot of notes, taken down some of the telemetry data, and related it to the physical aspects of the track. That combined with the wind speeds, and velocity of the car and its weight distribution by g-forces…She had gotten a lot of what she needed already. It was just hard to pull away when she was in this state of mind, and already physically fatigued. It was hard to turn off, but she also knew it was going to be hard for her to stand up from that stool. She suddenly felt dizzy, like she had just run head first into a wall. She turned back to her brother. “Do you think you could help me, Michael? I think you’re right... Would you take my laptop, and make sure I don’t make a fool of myself by falling off this wall?” She said with a small smile.

“Sure-thing Lotts, Timmy already told you I had your back, remember? Hand me that lap top, then take my hand and I’ll help you down.” He smiled. It did take her a moment to stand and stretch a little to keep from getting dizzy, but she managed to get down and walk toward the garage with her brother’s arm around her shoulders. Arthur, George and Sidney were still talking, and Diana was there as well checking on Sidney and giving him some instructions before his session in the afternoon.

Her eyes were still wide, when they reached the group. “Excellent work today, Mr. Parker. I’m very pleased with the changes so far. I hope you felt them in the car?”

Sidney looked down first and then gave his sideways grin. It would have been impossible for any professional driver to not notice the dramatic change in the car. There were witnesses all around him, and he didn’t want to let his guard down too quickly, and he felt the need to compose himself. Looking up, he answered “Yes, of course, the changes were certainly noticeable. I am glad you are pleased with the run.”

“Yes, very pleased. I’ll be anxious to see what the afternoon data brings.” She spoke eagerly, not worrying about what anyone thought. She knew what she had seen in the telemetry, and she knew what she wanted to do next. But speaking of the afternoon, suddenly made her body very aware of the time, and it was impossible for her to stifle a yawn. “Excuse me, I’m afraid the last two days are catching up with me.” And Michael put his arm around her back at her waist to steady her feet. “I think I will have to see that set of data later though, I’m not sure I can stand up much longer.” And then looked up to her brother to let him know that she needed his help, and she needed rest. Her adrenaline crash was coming, quickly.

Diana noticing the change in her jumped to help, “Come with me Michael, I am sure she needs some supplements and electrolytes. I have just the thing.” Sidney quickly caught Diana’s elbow, she looked at his concerned eyes, and shook her head no. “Don’t worry Sidney, Michael and I can take care of her, you have your own things to work on. And Arthur can help, can’t you Arthur?” 

“Of course, sister, although I might need some of those supplements as well, soon enough.” Arthur replied, then the four of them walked back to the Control Center to get their exhausted engineers replenished.

Once Diana had Arthur and Charlotte drinking some of her “rocket fuel,” she had a moment to talk with Michael. “Is this common for her? I mean, I know they were up all-night working, and that certainly doesn’t happen all the time. But she seemed almost, well, ‘spent’ for lack of a better word. Like she had been running a marathon while working at the Pit Wall.”

Michael did not want to betray his sister’s privacy, but Diana seemed trustworthy, and might even be able to help her in the future if he wasn’t around during one of her ‘spells.’ At least that’s what their mother called it. The doctors called it Hyper-Focus. “You’re not far off, Diana. I have no idea what it’s like to be in Charlotte’s head, but I’ve seen this before. Always when she’s working on something new, or she knows she’s close to solving a problem. She works and works, and it’s hard for her to shut it down. Not sleeping last night just made it a lot worse. Plus, she is really excited about what she was figuring out with the car today. All of that combined, just took everything she had.”

“Hmmn, I see.” She pondered what he had said. “Perhaps, if she doesn’t mind, I could help with some supplements for her? Of course, eating well is important, and she is young, and might not be used to needing to pay attention to that… Sorry, just thinking out loud. I’m sure as you said, it was all the additional fatigue, but I would like to offer my assistance with some suggestions for her. Even just a few changes and additions could help through the more taxing days and weeks. I hate to say it, but this industry, at this level can be hard on anyone.”

“Thank you, Diana, I think we would both appreciate the help.” Michael smiled at her, and was truly grateful for any help right now. He really needed to get back to headquarters and back to James to help with the building of his car. He also really needed to call their father and let him know how things were going, although he might leave out Charlotte’s severe exhaustion after less than two days on the job. He was also pleased with the genuine concern the Parkers had shown. He had seen Sidney check with Diana before they left, and was a little surprised at his quick reaction to help. They certainly weren’t the aloof toffs he thought they might be, and that could make this all a lot smoother, he hoped.

Soon they had Charlotte buckled in to the passenger side of Michael’s car. Clara had found them, and saw the condition Charlotte was in. Concerned, she insisted on helping, and also made sure Charlotte knew how to reach her if needed. She put all of Charlotte’s new team gear in the boot of Michael's car, and might have flirted with him, but just a little, before they drove back toward Sanditon. Arthur had found a spacious sofa to nap on in quiet office before the afternoon session, and Diana and made him eat a healthy lunch, which he did so unwillingly, but also uncomplainingly.

Babington found Sidney after he had changed from his racing suit, so they could get lunch together. Sitting down with their salads, Babington also with a sandwich. Sidney had a “power” bowl that Diana had made for him with slow burning carbs and protein combined with a colorful vegetable mix. Babington looked at Sidney’s lunch and gave him a raised eyebrow.

“I’ve seen you eat that stuff for years. Don’t you get tired of it?”

“Well it helps keep me fit, and I don’t have to eat it every day. Plus, with some spices, it’s pretty good actually. I guess you get used to it, and Diana makes it for me, so I don’t have to think about it. It couldn’t hurt you to get a little more… fit.” Sidney gave him a raised eyebrow in return. Definitely wouldn’t hurt with the ladies….

“Right, well, I haven’t found any _ladies_ that I am interested in, lately. All this Earl and Lord stuff since my father died, makes it…well it makes it all confusing. I’m sure you find that as well Sidney. Do they like you for ‘you,’ or do they like you because you’re a famous and dashing race driver?”

“Truuue. But I can’t remember the last time someone called me 'dashing', Babers. That's quite the compliment.” He grinned. “In fact, I’m not looking. I don’t really want to live like a monk, but I’m tired of it all. I’m going to be 30 this year. Fuck. Where does it all go?” Sidney lamented. Babers was nodding his head. “I just want to be with someone who makes me happy. None of the women I’ve dated for the last ten years have made me happy, and you know there have been quite a few.”

George almost spit out his drink through his nose and onto his lunch. After choking down his tea, he laughed until everyone in the hospitality suite was looking at them. “Quite a few?!” He asked incredulously. “I’m pretty sure they would have to take a census to list all the women you’ve ‘dated.’ If you can even call it that.” Sidney shrugged in agreement. “No, Sidney, I think I know how you feel. I’m so tired of the women who throw themselves at you, make themselves completely available. Where are the Katherine Hepburns, the Barbara Stanwycks?”

“ _Barbara Stanwyck_?! Really? I think you’re reaching George. I’m pretty sure she’s known for that movie where she gets some guy to ‘off’ her husband to collect on the life insurance.” And Sidney was openly laughing at _him_ now. “I think you’ve just illustrated your own problem. You _really_ need to get out more. Maybe see a movie that was made in the current century. Plus, all of those women are in, _were_ in, America. Not that we couldn’t find that here, certainly. Daisy Ridley, or Lily James…” Sidney got very quiet suddenly and looked down at his power bowl.

“What is it, Sid? Please tell me you’re not thinking about _her_ again.”

“No, actually, I wasn’t. I just don’t know, that I’m ready for something like that again. I think that’s why I never wanted to try for it. I’ve kept it all so casual, and transient for a reason. That’s easy enough to do when you’re traveling to a different continent every month or every other week. AND, the one woman I do spend most of my time with is my protective big sister.” Sidney chuckled and shook his head. “I’m quite the catch, aren’t I?” And then really started laughing.

“For someone who always seems to have everything under, and in, control, you are a walking MESS, Parker. Truly, the definition of an emotional disaster zone.” And he laughed with him, as his comments had made Sidney laugh even harder.

“No,” said Babers. “I want to find somebody that challenges me, that pushes me. But also takes the time to, I don’t know…make me feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself.” George added.

Sidney looked at his friend and bit his cheek while his eyes furrowed and looked at him. “I never thought about it that way, George. Something bigger than myself, or myself and another person. Like the combination makes a whole new…a whole new…entity?... Reality? That’s not right either. I guess I won’t know until I find it, eh?”

“I hope I know it when I find it.” Said Babers. “I’d hate to think I already let it go by accident.”

“No, I think you’d know it if you did. Last time I checked you were a pretty smart guy. Not the _smartest_ , but still pretty smart.” He teased. 

George laughed, “True! I suppose we can’t all be Dr. Heywood, can we?” George was still chuckling and shaking his head and continued with his lunch.

Sidney felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over him. Dr. Heywood’s name coming up in the context of this very personal conversation was a shock. He had been concerned when she looked like she might faint after the practice session. He had also surprised himself when he wanted to help Diana take care of her, to make sure she was OK. He had just reacted, on instinct, without thinking. After all, he was a decent guy, who wouldn’t want to help someone in need of it? It was the _urge_ to help her that was confounding him, like it was something he needed to do. His brow furrowed at this thought.

Sidney was a problem solver, that’s what he did in the car. He solved problems through his instincts and experience. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to solve this problem. He really did not want to put a name or a label on his instinct to help this afternoon. His _urge_ to help. That was even worse, and he hoped it would not happen again, or better yet, that it would just go away.


	10. Hopeless

Chapter 10

Hopeless

It had been a whirlwind last couple of days. Charlotte finally slept and was even more focused when she returned to the office. The day after their first testing session, she went back to work in the quiet of the very early morning. She started some preliminary designs for the body of the car, and also improvements with the anti-roll bars for the suspension. She was able to explain what she wanted, and what she was trying to achieve with the renderings that she compiled from her programs. The next testing day, day 3, they sent Crowe in the car to compare his data with Sidney’s in the hopes of refining some of the designs. They were finally able to get Stringer’s car ready by day 4. It was a combination of some of the old elements with a lot of the new changes Charlotte had designed, and the factory had been able to complete. His testing data proved to be the most exciting yet, and he had even come close, on a low fuel lap, to just a couple seconds shy of the track record. It had been a very productive 4 days, and the team seemed to be running on a high with the new gains.

Day 5 saw both cars running and splitting the track time. Sidney had the morning session, and had been able to watch from the engineer island what Stringer’s laps had looked like in the afternoon. They were testing for a lot of elements for the car, so it wasn’t necessarily about speed. However, at the end of his session, they had given him the go for a series of hot laps to see where he could push the car. It was unnerving for Sidney. James was quite good, and much younger. Which can also mean quicker, riskier, bolder, and faster. It’s often said that a driver’s biggest competition is his teammate, because it’s the ultimate litmus test. They’re both driving the same car, with the same engine, with the same designers, same equipment. Only the preferred set up from one driver to the next was different. Yes. Definitely unnerving.

To make matters worse, his thoughts toward Dr. Heywood were _not_ going away as Sidney had hoped. In fact, the consistent proximity at the track, and in discussions regarding the development of the car, was making it worse. Much, much worse. He had to stop himself from repeatedly looking in her direction on the Pit Wall in the afternoon. It was even disturbing his sleep, as she was suddenly appearing regularly in his dreams. Not all of them illicit, but her presence, or the thought of her presence was plaguing him. He was now often thinking about what it would be like to get her in a dark corner, hidden away somewhere, and away from everyone else. It did not help that Mr. James Stringer had spent more than a respectable amount of time trying to speak with her, interact with her, and it grated on his every nerve. All of this tension was making his driving on track stiff and less focused. What’s worse, was how Charlotte seemed so at ease with James. They were friends, and he was just the bloke in the other car, as far as he knew.

By the end of day 6, George had even asked if Sidney thought he was getting sick. He had practically snapped at him in return, loudly asking him what madness had made him think he was becoming ill, for the entire garage to hear. Babers, always the observer, reminded him that the last time his driving had changed so rapidly was when he had come down with some kind of virus or flu 2 years ago, in Belgium. Which had led to a disastrous race weekend, where he skidded off in the rain, crashing sideways into the wall after only 8 laps. He had to do something about this aggravation.

They had just finished on that 6th day of testing. It had been a gloriously warm and sunny day. Track conditions could not have been better, and Sidney was miserable. He had been on the Bluetooth mobile in his Night Blue Metallic Porsche 911 Carrera-S, driving back to Sanditon after the track. He had given Crowe a ride, and Crowe kept making faces at him all the while during his phone call, imitating Tom’s gestures and mouthing silent obscenities in reaction to Tom’s incessant, bleating questions about today's sessions. Finally, they disconnected.

“Fuuuck! Sidney, I knew he was bad, but around you he is practically an infant! Tell me, how often does our ‘fearless’ leader require you to wipe his bum?” Crowe laughed but was still amazed at the nervousness that Tom seemed to ooze from every pore. “He’s like one of those little tiny dogs that shakes all the time. My hideous aunt had one of those.”

“ _Which_ hideous aunt, Crowe? Last I checked you had more than one.” Sidney felt the need to remind Crowe that his own family was less than perfect.

“Doesn’t matter, at least they’re all dead now. You however, dear friend, still have your brother trying to run everything without really knowing what is going on. Why hasn’t he even visited the track this week? Seems downright irresponsible. What other Team Principal ignores testing week? It’s preposterous!” Crowe demanded, but didn’t expect Sidney to answer.

Sidney shook his head as he deftly down shifted to take a tight turn, before up-shifting and opening the throttle again. “Don’t know. He keeps saying he’s working with investors. If he came to the track, at least he would be able to tell them what we’ve worked on. A lot easier to sell a product that people _want._ ”

“It’s a good car this year.” Crowe looked over at his friend and waited a moment to see if he would bite. “The changes…they are… really different. It meets regulations, doesn’t it?”

“Arthur assures me that it does. I’ve asked him more than once. I guess I’m worried something will come along and ruin it.” Sidney confirmed.

“Hmmn…Like young Mr. Stringer.” Crowe was poking the bear. It wasn't even a question, it was a statement, and a definite possibility. He saw the clouds descending over Sidney’s face even though the sun outside was still shining high.

“He’s pretty quick.” Was all Sidney said, keeping his gaze straight ahead out the windscreen.

“Yes. He is quick. Gets along well with those Heywoods too…” He knew he was pushing it now, but that’s what Crowe always did, it’s what made him such a good driver. He pushed limits. “I mean, Michael is his Race Engineer, nice fellow and seems very competent… Michael’s lovely, nubile, younger sister, also happens to be the new brilliant Chief Technical Director, and effectively, primary _designer_ of the car at this point" He looked pointedly at Sidney. "… It’s all very neat and tidy, is it not?”

“What exactly do you mean, Crowe?” He snapped back. Sidney’s patience was already thin, and he did not appreciate that Crowe had clearly been leering at Charlotte, and he started wondering if everyone was having the same difficulties around her that he was. He gripped the steering wheel harder until his knuckles whitened and his teeth clenched, he was starting to feel angry.

“How do you know they aren’t designing the car to better suit his driving style over yours? It is possible. Expensive, and certainly not easy, but possible. Quite sure Dr. Heywood could manage it if she wanted to. Plus, if all this goes well for them, they are guaranteed a spot on the Board, an additional leadership position within Parker's, and their name added to the front of the building. Among some other rather tasty perks.” Crowe said, as if this was all public knowledge.

“How do you know all of those details? None of that has been released.” Sidney was questioning everything now. He had only forced Tom to come clean with him before the testing had restarted, and known of those details for just the last 6 days.

“I know someone who may have seen the contract…someone _trustworthy_ , so don’t think it’s going to be plastered all over the rags.” Crowe answered coolly. “I’m just saying to watch your back. Friends close, enemies closer and all that.” His voice tapered off quietly.

Sidney turned his head and gave a quick but intense look at his friend. His friend, and Babington’s. They had all been in Karting together as youths, and he and Crowe had spent a lot of time traveling together when they were both in F3 and F2. If he couldn’t trust Crowe, then who _could_ he trust? After working with the Heywoods he had felt reassured of their characters. Could they really be that diabolical?

“Do you really think so? Do you think they would do that?” He finally asked, and he felt really unsure of what could be the answer.

“I don’t know mate, it’s just me thinking… You know, after I had heard all that stuff about the deal. They seem perfectly nice, but people can turn on a dime when millions of dollars are involved. I don’t have to tell you that...” He drifted off, trying not to jolt Parker down memory-hell lane. He looked out the passenger window, he knew he had probably just over-stepped, and did not want to see Sidney’s face right now.

If Crowe had looked, he would have gotten just what he was expecting. Storm clouds again over his eyes, even visible through the lenses of his father’s own vintage Ray-Bans. One of the few pieces Sidney had of his father’s, that was all his. For the first time, in a long time, Sidney wanted a drink. A real one. His whole existence was based on discipline. Lap after lap, 340kmph, centimeters, or even millimeters from concrete walls. Consistency, focus, strength, keeping this racing team alive by pushing his performance every, single, day. Now, it all looked like it could go up in smoke. Usurped by a younger driver, sharing control of the company, being shoved aside, a has-been before the age of 30, all of his deepest worries and insecurities. And his thoughts of Charlotte, for he refused to consider calling them anything else, he knew he was not dealing with that well. These “thoughts” were clearly out of his control at this point. Now it seemed that everything was out of his control, and he started speeding up. Consistently. The turns were faster, and the straight lanes were much faster, and Crowe was now looking at him.

“Siiid?” He said “You are probably the only person I don’t mind riding with instead of driving. And you are the _only_ one I would say this to, and I’ll deny everything if you repeat it, but you are usually a better driver than me. But right now, I’d just really like to make it home tonight.” Unfortunately, that had the opposite effect than Crowe had wanted. He thought the compliment might cushion the blow, but Sidney did not slow down until he pulled off the turn for Sanditon.

He brought Crowe to his car at Parker headquarters, and noticed that at exactly the same time, Arthur was walking back into the building with Charlotte, clearly going back to work on more plans for the car. He was angry, hurt, confused, and felt extremely vulnerable. He watched Charlotte talking with his brother, and the sun was shining on her curls as they bounced in the breeze. He had wanted to touch them, to touch her, to see how she felt in his arms, feel her lips on his... and now his thoughts were completely beyond his control. Now, he felt as though he had been rejected before he had even tried, and the ache in his chest grew stronger. Crowe got out to leave, knowing that he needed to remove himself before he accidentally made things any worse, if that was possible. He waved and “thanked” Sidney for not killing them both on the way back, before getting into his Aston Martin and leaving.

Instead of speeding home, Sidney parked in one of the many open spots available this late in the day, and sat in the car looking at the entrance to their building. He wanted to go inside. He wanted to talk with her, and Arthur. He really wanted to confront all of these shadows of possible sabotage, of possible betrayal. And he felt stupid for not thinking of it himself. But he kept staring forward, unsure of what to do next. He hated uncertainty. He leaned his head back against the leather headrest, and looked up through the sunroof. He felt frozen in time. Stuck. And what made it worse, was he did not know where to turn.

Tom, too inconsistent and unreliable. Arthur, practically worshiped Charlotte even more than he did, and his stomach lurched at that thought. Diana, would never think anything bad about the Heywoods, she would never suspect them of anything, especially after taking Charlotte under her wing. Mary, well Mary had too much already on her plate, not the least of which was her husband. Babington, maybe, but he would also tell him he was being paranoid, like had needed to do several times in the past. Crowe, well, he already knew what Crowe thought. No one. There was absolutely no one else he could turn to right now to talk any of this out. He took the sunglasses off, and turned them around to look at them. He could still see them on his father’s face, and he desperately wanted his advice right now. He desperately wanted to know what his father would tell him. One last conversation. All these years of pushing people away, keeping only a few people close, had left him feeling intensely alone.

He thought about calling Georgiana. She might actually give him the type of advice that Reggie would have. She was actually quite good at that, channeling her father and all his wisdom, strength, and humor. And he smiled a little at her precociousness. But she didn’t know the Heywoods, or this business situation. It would be wrong to try and get her help when she was studying for her A Levels. No, that would not be fair. He was the adult, he needed to figure this out somehow, and apparently, on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I forget how damaged Sidney is, because he has his defenses up all the time. I really felt that I needed to dive into that.


	11. Brothers

Chapter 11

Brothers

Day 6 of testing was complete, and Charlotte was alone in her office, reexamining the information they had gathered. Something had changed today, and not for the better. For the life of her she could not understand what had happened. James’ work with the car seemed to be improving with each session, But Sidney’s, Mr. Parker’s sessions, something there was off. Either with his car or with him. She had wanted to talk with him about the set up to see if there was something the engineers could work on, or analyze for him. But he had avoided her, multiple times. Not that they ever spoke much, but she thought that things had improved, if only just a little. They were going to have to discuss what was going on at some point. It was what they had hired her for! How was she supposed to do her job, and do it as well as she wanted to if he refused to cooperate with her?

She did not like to get angry, or upset, because that never helps, especially in a scientific field. It just influences the data because everything gets skewed through a murky lens. She was at her desk in her office, and closed her eyes, raised her face toward the ceiling and inhaled a long deep breath. ‘Racing drivers! They are one half over-confident arrogance, and another half full-blown insecurity. Neither of which is conducive to communication!’ She told herself to stop ranting and attempted the deep breathing again to try and get her emotions under control. She wanted to talk to Arthur about it, they got on so well working together, it almost seemed too good to be true. But she wasn’t sure how he would take discussing his brother _, and_ the fact that he was basically shirking off this limited opportunity to work with the cars on the track. They only had two more days! And breeeathe, Charlotte.

One of the many things her Aunt Augusta had done to help her when she was younger, was helping her find ways to deal with stressful situations. She could almost hear her saying that, “breeeathe, Charlotte.” She thought about calling her, but she had just spoken with her yesterday when everything was going swimmingly. If she called to complain about the rugged and aloof Sidney Parker, she would start questioning Charlotte’s ability to handle all of this pressure.

How was she going to handle dealing with this overly intense, man? This man who was equal parts infuriating, and confusing. An actual man, not like most of the boys she had known. No, absolutely _nothing_ like the boys she had known, or any of the men she had ever met either, for that matter. Her breathing was now shallow, and her neck and cheeks felt flushed. She really wanted to delete these thoughts, but they kept coming back, again and again. As soon as she thought she finally had a handle on them, all he had to do was walk back into view. The way he walked, the way he carried himself, the way he looked getting out of the car, athletic, strong, focused. Taking his helmet off revealing his chiseled face again, it was too much… ‘STOP Charlotte, you MUST STOP!’ She berated herself, putting her head down in her hands, and had almost said that out loud to make herself _listen_. You have only known him for less than a week! What is wrong with you? You are acting like an infatuated teenager.

Her eyes flashed open, and she sat up straight. Oh no. No, no, no. Not infatuated. Definitely not that. I cannot, and will not have such thoughts about any of my co-workers. That had never interfered with her work before, and she most certainly was not going to let that happen now! Some internal switch flipped. That was NOT going to be a problem. _Finis_! Managed. Move on! She left her office to find Arthur. Something else had to be done.

“I can’t understand it either, Charlotte, I’ve gone over it and over it. The car today really should have been an improvement. Maybe we need to return it to the specs from yesterday? But those improvements with the air flow had worked so well for James. I know they like their cars to drive a little differently, but even with their individual settings, it should have worked.” Arthur was glad that Charlotte approached him. This was the first confusing event for them to figure out. He was sure there would be many more in the season, and hopefully, years ahead, but they really felt they had realized something special with the car after yesterday. They had worked so hard, and the team, the fabricators had worked through the night to make it happen. It had been a miraculous team effort from the whole department. And then, nothing. At least with Sidney’s car.

“Maybe it was something mechanical?” Charlotte's eyes were searching, looking, seeking, just as her brain was. Reaching, trying to think of what they had missed. “Maybe we had a bad batch of tyres, or the brake bias needed adjusting. Did we test the oil after his laps to make sure there wasn’t any metal residue from the engine?” Arthur nodded yes. “And nothing?” She asked again, and again he confirmed. “Arthur, I actually thought he was going to slide off the track at the hairpin more than once today. He knows that track so well now. It couldn’t possibly be driver error, could it? He has been so competent all week.” Charlotte did not want to be having this conversation with Arthur, but she needed to know if he had any doubts with Sidney’s performance, or if he thought it was the car. And she did not know his brother like he did. So, she finally put it out there, and would let him make that judgment call.

Arthur was quiet, he was contemplating, and _had_ been contemplating everything that Charlotte had said. He had been wondering the same thing. It was so very unlike Sidney to lose his cool like that, it seemed not only unlikely, but impossible. “I’m not sure Charlotte. It’s very uncharacteristic of him. If he is struggling mentally somehow, it would be an anomaly. He hasn’t had an event with his car that wasn’t mechanical, caused by another driver, or related to weather or track debris. I hate to say it, but when he drives, he is practically flawless as well as faultless. That’s why I keep going back to the car. That’s why I keep thinking it’s the new parts, or the set-up, maybe the new front wing adjustments.” He was still thinking and shaking his head, and it looked like he was crossing off possibilities from a list in front of him with every head shake. Swipe, swipe, knocking all the possible weaknesses off his list of variables. And he still came up with nothing.

“What do we do Arthur? How do we handle it? He refused to talk today, at least to me. I saw George with him, and that didn’t look good either.” She was reaching at straws now. “I mean, we have to know how to set up his car for tomorrow. And I’m not sure what we can do tonight, with or without his feedback, right now.”

Arthur was still working on that list, and as it got shorter and shorter. There was only one thing left to do. “I’ll talk to him. It’s the only option we’ve got right now, and time is running out.” Charlotte had been biting her lower lip a lot today, and right now was not an exception. She knew it was a bad habit, and it certainly revealed to others that she was under stress, but it didn’t matter right now because Arthur was feeling the same way. She knew it.

Arthur didn’t even go home to change. He drove straight to Sidney’s. It was not far from his own place. They had both claimed seaside houses in some of the older, and original terraces in town that had been updated. The family were insistent on keeping as much of the charming features as possible. Mary had been responsible for the latest round of upgrades, and she was a strict preservationist, but still appreciated good plumbing and electrical, as well as improved energy efficiency and comfort. It didn’t hurt that her taste was impeccable. He buzzed Sidney’s front door, and saw him walking through the front window towards him. The door swung open, and Arthur was a little surprised to find his brother holding a crystal tumbler with an ice cube and caramel brown liquid inside. It must have been whiskey. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and the top 3 buttons of his pressed shirt were open. What was most surprising was that even though his dark slim jeans were crisp, he was barefoot, and Arthur could see the loafers he had worn leaving the track had been kicked down the hallway. Probably after he had gotten home. Nope, it definitely was not an issue with the car. This looked like it was going to be harder to fix.

“Arthur, I wasn’t expecting you.” He said it flatly, and turned to walk across the dark hardwood floors into his front room. Like Arthur’s house the front “parlors” had been opened up to the former formal dining rooms behind them, and then the hallway had been opened up at the rear of the house to make for a large open kitchen and living area. Sidney liked things clean and neat, so all of his walls were white, as were all of the trim and original mouldings. The lights were dim, and Sidney leaned over to turn on a large floor lamp, but kept walking through the rooms toward the back of the house. Arthur looked around, nothing else seemed out of place except Sidney, his drink, and his shoes.

Arthur followed him back through the opened walls toward the kitchen great room, and its panoramic view of the ocean just steps away. “I thought I’d get myself another drink.” He downed what was left in his glass, plopped another ice cube in, and poured what looked to be very expensive bourbon into his glass. “Can I offer you a drink, brother?”

“I’d love one, Sidney.” He responded. He gave a small smile not to put his brother off. He figured that if Sidney was falling down a hole, he’d better crawl down part way to help him back up. Otherwise, whiskey wasn’t really his drink. Tonight, he would make an exception. Sidney reached inside the cabinet, and pulled down an identical glass, and fixed anther drink exactly like his for his brother. He handed Arthur the glass, and walked past him toward the opposite wall and over to the two caramel colored, overstuffed leather chairs in front of his fireplace, that was already lit, and sat down. Arthur followed suit.

They sat in silence for a while. Arthur, not knowing what to say, and Sidney, worried that he would say too much. After a few sips of the bourbon, that actually tasted better than he had expected, Arthur decided he needed to lead this off.

“Interesting day, today.” And he waited to see what Sidney would do or say. Sidney sat there staring into his glass, swirling the liquid around the ice cube.

Arthur tried again. “Maybe, unusual, would be a better way to describe it?”

Sidney looked up at him, his brow furrowed. He hadn’t had nearly enough to drink yet to numb the questions and thoughts he was having. He refused to use the word “feelings,” even in his head. His teeth clenched as he kept watching his brother. He looked back at his glass, and raised his eyebrows as he repeated, “Unusual,” and huffed sarcastically. “That’s one way to put it.”

Arthur waited again, and watched as Sidney took a large swig from his glass. “How would you describe it, Sidney?”

No answer.

“I mean, it’s not like you crashed the car. And you’ve definitely had worse days on the track. It wasn’t ideal, but it certainly wasn’t a failure.”

Sidney blew out a long breath from his mouth, “What would I call it… I think…Eye-opening would best describe my day. On or off the track, Arthur.”

“Eye-opening, interesting.” Arthur paused. “That could be good, or it could be… not so good. My guess right now is, ‘not so good.’”

Sidney snorted a laugh and smiled. “I always said you were the smart one, Arthur.” He raised his glass in a toast to his younger brother and then finished the contents of his glass in one toss.

“That’s funny, I always said the same thing about you, Sidney. Right now, I’m not so sure.” He had had enough of this wallowing and self-pity. Sidney looked at him, brows pinched. “I’d say, that right now, you’re looking like the one Parker who has been given more gifts and talents than any man has a right to, and you’re acting like an idiot!”

Sidney was taken aback for a moment. Arthur had never spoken to him this way, but he wasn’t finished.

“I’d say, that there are _hundreds_ of people who are working **_round the clock_** to make all your dreams come true, and you are, what, throwing it away after ONE bad day?! … I’d _also_ say, that we have a better chance to achieve something, as a family, that no other family has ever done before. And the ONE person who can bring it all together. The ONE person everyone else rallies around, supports, and works for, is wallowing deep in his cups because of ONE bad day!”

Sidney looked shocked, and then looked down, feeling slightly ashamed. He looked again at his empty glass in his hand, and how the light refracted through the cut crystal. Pondering everything Arthur has just said to him, had practically screamed at him. If Arthur’s words had been fists, he would have been flat on the floor.

The realizations were hitting him hard, and an actual tear formed in his left eye, the spectrum of feelings he had gone through in the last few hours taking their toll. He looked at his brother, and let it fall. He swiped it away, again feeling ashamed, with the cuff of his sleeve, and looked at Arthur like he had just yanked him back to the present.

All those memories of their father that had flooded him earlier, they had just been too much to bear. The conversation with Crowe, his sloppiness on the track, his doubts about his ability to drive, the future of the company, his frustrations about Charlotte and trying to work with her despite all his confused... thoughts…

Looking at Arthur, hearing his words, he had a sudden realization, that out of all of them, Arthur was the one who was most like him; The _most_ like their father. And it made him relieved to see it, like he had found something he had misplaced. He didn’t know why he had never seen it before. Maybe he had never needed to see it before. Or maybe he had been too busy, too self-involved, too distracted. He blinked and looked at his little brother with fresh, and slightly inebriated, eyes.

“You’re right, Arthur. You are…frighteningly right.” He gave a half grin but his brows were still thinking, and then looked at the kind brown eyes of his brother and his smile relaxed, and then the rest of his face followed. “It’s not about me… it’s about something bigger than me.” He shook his head in disbelief. He recognized what George had said in everything that Arthur had just pummeled into him, it was just in a different context. At least if he couldn’t find the kind of happiness George had talked about, he had this version of it right in front of him, and he would be an idiot not to try. Just like Arthur had said.

Arthur exhaled in relief as he watched his brother’s demeanor change. He wasn’t exactly sure what happened. ‘Dutch courage,’ he thought looking at the glass in his hand. Definitely unsure where his ‘little speech’ had come from. He then looked at the wave of ‘normalcy’ returning to his brother. He had never talked to him that way. He’d never really talked to _anyone_ that way. But he was glad, that whatever he said, whatever chord he struck to reach Sidney, had worked. He took the glass out of his brother’s hand, and they both stood. He wanted to give him a hug, but thought if he did, it might turn Sidney into a puddle after that uncharacteristic stray tear. Instead, he motioned his head toward the kitchen and let Sidney follow him back to the sink.

“You know, this is rather good.” And he finished the contents of his own glass. Sidney knew that wasn’t his usual thing, and he chuckled at Arthur’s comment.

“Have I ever told you, Arthur, that you remind me of dad? Maybe I didn’t see it right away, but you definitely got more of him than any of the rest of us.” Sidney smiled a little and then furrowed his brow to stop any more tears from falling, thinking about their father again.

“You haven’t, but I will be sure to remind you of that the next time you lose your head, and need a good knocking about!” He was stern, but the twinkle that regularly formed in his eyes was there.

“Wow…So much like dad.” Sidney said shaking his head with a grin.

Arthur could not contain his laughter at that point, and he definitely needed that release of emotion. After he composed himself, he asked, “Are you going to be OK?” Sidney nodded, and his eyes were clear again. “Good. Now, I promise I won’t rat you out to Diana, but she will probably smell the alcohol on you tomorrow anyway. She has the nose of a bloodhound. You might save yourself some grief if you come clean to her yourself, first. You can, however, feel free to give me all the credit I deserve for making sure you didn’t end up sleeping on the floor in a pool of your own vomit.” He winked.

Sidney chuckled. “True. On all accounts… See you in the morning?” He asked in a way that was almost asking for forgiveness at the same time.

“I expect to see you _quite_ early in the morning, in the Engineering Department. We have some things to sort out before the track.” Arthur was commanding, but kind in his response. Sidney simply nodded, he was not about to try and argue, and he knew what he needed to do. Arthur started to walk away from the kitchen when he turned and looked at his brother with concern one more time. “You know you can come to me, Sid, right? I know I’m the youngest, and you all treat me like I’m still 5 sometimes, but I am your brother. I always will be. I’m always here for you. You know that, right?”

Sidney nodded. “If I didn’t, I do now.”

“Good. I’d rather not have to relive that experience again for a while.” He gestured toward the chairs they had sat in. “Better you just come to me first,” and Sidney chuckled and nodded in agreement.

“OK.” Sidney’s answer was enough, and it gave Arthur a little more relief that he had been able to help.

Arthur just didn’t know, that the one thing he couldn’t help Sidney with, would also be waiting to see him in the Engineering Department in the morning. Those damn nerves in his stomach returned as he thought of wide brown expressive eyes, and he was really regretting that last glass of bourbon. He saw Arthur off, and went back to the kitchen to drink as much water as he could handle. He rubbed his face as he prepared a second glass of water to drink.

Thinking…The other thing, that was something he was going to have to figure out how to manage on his own.


	12. Long Winding Road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Note*  
> I had originally made Sidney’s car a very dark blue, but changed it before I published it, to black to make it more like his curricle in the show. However, I have changed it back to ‘Night Blue’- from the Porsche website. I have a reason, but also, I don’t think modern Sidney should be driving a car that’s a typical car. Not red, black, silver, white, etc. Thanks for understanding, and for reading! I love the comments and reactions. 😊

Chapter 12

Long Winding Road

It was very early when Sidney received a wake-up call from Arthur. Fortunately, the water last night had helped, and he was only moderately hung over. He hadn’t told Arthur about the two other glasses he’d had before Arthur showed up. Bringing the total to 4. Showered, dressed, bag packed for later. He finally came downstairs and ate his porridge and berries for breakfast, that would definitely help his churning stomach. But with the headache he had, he allowed himself a small cup of green tea to help him get through the morning. He grabbed a couple bottles of water from his fridge and jumped in his car before the sun was rising, and the mist was still settled low on the hills as he drove in to work.

Arthur and Dr. Heywood were already there when he arrived. He felt rather foolish after his behavior at the track, and even more so after he saw Arthur at home yesterday. He had a sudden dread that maybe Arthur would tell her. He was pretty sure she had not told him about their disastrous introduction last week, and now he was actually praying that Arthur would not tell her about his state last night. How could he mess up so many times in such a short week? No, now he needed to pull himself together and work with them, since he had all but refused to do so yesterday. He was a professional, and he was going to act like one.

Arthur was the first to see him, and thankfully, was his usual jovial self. “Ah, Sidney, good to see you so early!” And he gave him a sly wink. Sidney forced a smile, and Dr. Heywood looked up. They’d had their heads bent over a tall table going over some data and printed renderings of the car, making notes and adjusting some ideas on the printouts as they discussed. When she stood up, the light from the now rising sun was streaming through the large windows behind them in the back of the department, and lit her up like a halo. Maybe he was still drunk, he thought. The light was shining through her loose hair, and he was suddenly having second thoughts about this meeting. ‘Get a grip, man,’ he commanded to himself.

“Good morning, Mr. Parker, thank you for coming in so early.” Charlotte smiled. She knew that something was up, but Arthur did not elaborate. She thought that the least she could do was be polite and to do her job, which meant speaking with him.

“Good morning, Dr Heywood.” He said kindly, greeting her.

Fortunately, Arthur helped get the conversation going where it needed to. Charlotte, though, was still thinking about Sidney, wondering if his voice was always that deep, or if it was just because it was so early. They had always been in the noisy garage, or in busy group conversations in the past week. His voice was gruff when she met him, but he was angry, and she was both flustered and angry that morning. No time to notice it then. There were a few aero engineers and parts engineers on their computer stations going through different design elements, scattered around in the large open work space. Some workers in the fabrication unit were finishing up parts they wanted to try today on the track, but they were working in their area behind thick glass walls, yards and yards away. Otherwise, the area had an early morning stillness to it. And it suddenly felt very intimate as he moved toward the renderings they had printed and were looking at on the counter.

They moved to Arthur’s work station, and she was trying her best not to move too much, so as not to lose her balance. She was feeling flushed again, and a little dizzy as she was standing between both the Parkers, and Sidney was leaning over and near her to speak with Arthur, disturbing her train of thought.

“It’s all very interesting Arthur, you’ve been so busy. I mean, the department, they’ve worked so hard to get all of this going.” Sidney said as he went over the computer models and simulations that Arthur was explaining to him. “And It’s all within the measurement limitations, and requirements?” He was stunned with how they had been able to work so many new elements into the very specific FIA guidelines.

“Oh yes, Charlotte has been very strict about keeping it in check. It’s practically a train of engineers who check and recheck each other. Charlotte is determined that we will not have an incident like Red Bull had in Australia in 2014, with their fuel flow sensor.” Arthur commented.

“Ah yes, poor Daniel, losing out on the podium in his home race. That was disappointing… It sounds like you both have it well in control.” Sidney relaxed having something to focus on. He knew he was standing a little too close to her, but he could not seem to pull himself away. 

“Well, we do have a dedicated team here, but really all the new things you are looking at came straight from Charlotte.” Arthur was beaming, he really liked working with Charlotte, and wanted to make sure she got all the credit she deserved. Then he whispered more softly, but loudly enough so that Sidney and Charlotte could hear. “Even some of those grumpy old sods over there are showing a better work ethic. I think you’ve really inspired them, Charlotte.” Then he laughed, “Or terrified the living daylights out of them, since they have so much more trouble keeping up with you. I think they’re too embarrassed to admit that they didn’t think of anything close to the things that you have.” Arthur was looking at her and really enjoying telling his brother about how Charlotte had livened things up in her short time there.

Charlotte was fully blushing now. “Arthur! I’m sure you exaggerate. Besides, I could not do anything here without your help. And you certainly haven’t had any issues ‘keeping up’.”

“Well, that’s because I am apparently, _wise_ beyond my years. Isn’t that right, Sidney?” Arthur was winding his brother up after last night.

Sidney shook his head at Arthur. He was going to be insufferable now after Sidney compared him to their father. “Yes Arthur. You are practically the Dalai Lama.” Which only made Arthur laugh harder.

“Come, let’s look at the new wing design we’ve added to the current nose design of the car. It’s a modification of course, but it should help with the testing today. Charlotte is looking to test a few new full versions in the wind tunnel before we go to Melbourne as well.” Arthur explained as he led them to the fabrication area.

Sidney stood back to allow Dr. Heywood to pass in front of him. He was nothing if not a gentleman with his manners, and maybe focusing on propriety and respect toward her, might help. Help what exactly, he wasn’t sure. But even if it helped his own nerves around her, it could help _him_. He took the opportunity to watch her as she explained what her aims were with the redesign, as they watched the fabricators continue their work through the glass walls. She confidently went into great detail, and related it to his own work on the track, at what she was attempting to fix with some of the older issues with the car. She was so passionate about her work. Her eyes lit up, and she used her hands when she talked about every new nuance, and discovery she had found through the data. She continued to talk about the next steps in development, and how she could see it fitting all together. She seemed to him, like a sculptor looking at a giant slab of marble, picking and choosing what parts to keep and what to chisel away. What would work, and what wouldn’t. A scientist, but a functional artist at the same time, trying to harness the wind. He was beginning to understand how extraordinary her mind was; the way it worked. He suddenly found himself entranced.

She finally turned to look at him, after her lengthy explanation. She would not have been able to get through all of it, explain where her plans were going, if she had turned to look at him even once. He was already standing so close. He was looking at her, intently. But unlike the first time they met, his expression was soft. Finally, he spoke.

“That is all, truly remarkable, Dr. Heywood. And you have done so much in such a short time. You relay all the information so precisely, so that it all makes…sense, it’s so clear.” He looked at Arthur and smiled with a tease. “No wonder the department is all terrified of her, I might be a little as well.” But then he smiled to let her know it was really a compliment, and that he admired her work. And he was sure that he had never meant anything more in his life. She was simply, unique. And he was _quite_ sure that he saw a blush creep up her neck, but she dropped her head, using her long hair to hide it. She was clearly not used to receiving compliments, despite all of her accomplishments.

Arthur then said, “These two new wings will be ready soon. Sidney? Why don’t you drive Charlotte to the track? I was planning on supervising these until they’re finished, and then driving up with the lorry to make sure everything gets there on time. That way, Charlotte, you don’t have to wait around, and you can help supervise the set ups.”

It was all perfectly logical, sensible, and time saving, but both Sidney and Charlotte shot their heads up to look at him as soon as he had suggested it. “What?” Arthur asked. He looked at Charlotte, “You need to talk to him about the car, and the mechanics of what he prefers…” Then looking at Sidney, “and you need to talk to her so that you can explain all your picky little nuances you are always trying to get in your cars, but never seem to find. Now, you have 2 hou…no, more like an hour and 15 minutes the way Sid drives, to talk about it.” He then shooed them off. “Run along. I’ll take care of everything here, Charlotte, don’t you worry!”

That was not what she was worried about… Sidney stepped back and extended his arm to direct and allow her to walk in front of him again back toward her work area. Human spontaneous combustion was something she was more worried about right now, than the new front wings. ‘Breeeathe, Charlotte’. You can do this. It’s all work, it’s just work. Work. They were approaching where her office was, and she motioned and mumbled something about getting her things all while using the most minimal of eye contact. She collected her laptop and tablet into her bag, and started biting her lip when she realized he was actually waiting for her outside the glass wall. There was no place to hide. She did have the wherewithal to grab a spiral note pad to help take notes. At least she could keep her hands busy, she thought. She took her team jacket and grabbed her packed messenger bag. She walked out to where he was waiting for her, and before she could say anything, he was removing the bag from her shoulder to carry it for her.

“Oh, you really don’t have to, Mr. Parker, I can…” She was well and truly surprised. But he had waved her protestations away.

“My mother would never forgive me if I did not help a lady with her bags.” And he gave her a sideways grin. In reality, G would have never forgiven him. She insisted that he follow through with all the proper manners that Reggie had drilled into him in his youth. But he did not forget that his mother was the one who had taught him those manners first. Plus, it was a long walk from the back of the lower floor Engineering Department, and out through the front lobby, and he felt honor bound to take it. It had nothing to do with anything else, he told himself.

They took the awkward elevator ride, and started the walk down the long hallway to the lobby in silence. Charlotte focusing on her breathing, and looking straight ahead. Sidney, though, was stealing the occasional side glance and even allowed himself a small grin which made his already irritated stomach, clench. She really was very pretty, and he couldn’t help notice that her chest was rising and falling with her steady breaths underneath her team button up shirt. And from his height, it was giving him just a glimpse of…. He was broken from his trance by Clara.

“Dr. Heywood, Sidney, heading out to the track?” she asked. She was suddenly noticing how handsome the two of them looked together, and her head cocked a little to the side. Thinking. Cogs turning, in fact. And her PR instincts caught a spark. She smiled a little wider as she engaged them in some chitchat. “I’ll be out there later. It would be nice if I could have both of you speak with the press together. I’ll get James out there too, but probably on his own, new kid, etc. Get him some exposure. Are you two, fine with that?” They nodded and said yes, unaware that Clara was now working on a new multi-step strategy. If they had known what her new master plan was, they would have said no, immediately. If they had known how complicated it was, they might have also moved her up to the Pit Wall to analyze and determine race day strategy. But Clara was already in her element, and enjoyed her job. And if she got her way, this year was going to prove very fruitful in getting her clients noticed. Yes, this year could definitely be a lot of fun she thought as her eyes danced with her newest idea. She had some calls to make.

They said their good byes to Dolores, who was also not lost on how fine the two of them looked in a pair. But she just smiled at the young people and adjusted her reading glasses and returned to work. He motioned to where his car was parked, and opened the passenger door for her. He resisted the urge to guide the small of her back toward the seat, and had to shake himself out of it before he walked around to the driver’s side. He placed her bag next to his in the back seat, but then she mentioned she needed something. Quickly plucking the steno notebook and a pen from her bag, she thanked him and he put it back.

“Pen and paper, won’t Arthur be displeased?” He teased her with his low voice and gave her a sideways smile.

She smiled unwillingly with a small laugh, and her stomach fluttered. Knowing of Arthur’s resistance to using paper unless absolutely necessary she answered, “Yes, I am sure he will be disappointed. But as he has already warned me of your driving speed, I thought it would work better than a clumsy laptop or surface tablet.” And smiled knowingly at him before dropping her eyes.

He laughed, releasing some of his tension. “Yes, I should have expected you would be paying attention to details.” And he was practically flirting openly with the looks he was giving her, but she could not see them. She was resisting looking at him right now, but she could not hide her smile. She buckled her seat belt, and soon he was backing out of the parking space as the engine purred low.

At least while he was driving, he would be watching the road for the most part, and suddenly Charlotte felt more in control. The eye-contact was almost excruciating. Flipping open her pad, she switched to ‘work mode,’ and started asking him questions about what cars he had preferred from the former line up of team cars and why. She asked what modifications, which engines and such that he had had on and in his cars in the past that he had liked the most. How much pressure did he want to give to the pedals, especially the brake, and how far should they be apart? She knew that he preferred a little more under-steer in the right conditions and on the right track. She asked about the ballast settings, and how much he wanted that to stay consistent, and which conditions did he want to adjust it. She asked about the settings on his steering wheel. What did he want to adjust more often, brake bias or traction control, and again, under what weather conditions, and which tyres he preferred, and what kind of tyre pressure for the 5 different tyre compounds? Which were his favorite and least favorite tracks on the circuit and why? More than anything, what did he want his car to _feel_ like when drove it. She was relentlessly specific. He had also noticed that she was making small sketches, along with some of his answers, hence the notepad. She thinks of everything, he thought.

She had gotten more information in the past 30 minutes with him in the car than she had gotten in 7 days. She was able to take a breath and sit back, thinking. Her eyes followed the lines of the interior, and exterior of the front of his car. She glanced across the top of the dash, and then looked up along the roof line and turned her head to inspect the lines in the back. How the short rear seats were positioned to back up practically against the engine block. She had already noticed the specialized wheels and tyres before she got in. She was familiar with these cars, she just had never been inside one before. It was easy to appreciate the workmanship and pointed simplicity. She had noticed that he had chosen the manual gear box available with this model, and spent some time watching as he maneuvered his feet between the pedals, and how the shift knob in the console operated when he used it. Interesting, she thought. Old school, but not.

“These seats? They are quite nice, not factory, are they?” She observed.

He was amused by how she had been deconstructing his car as she looked around. “No, you’re right. I had them custom made.” She seemed to nod approvingly.

Then she asked, “Anymore modifications?”

“Yes, brakes, stiffened the suspension a bit, nothing _too_ different.” He shrugged.

“It’s the Carrera S. Why didn’t you want the 4S? No all- wheel-drive?” It was a specific question, that she knew had an answer.

“Uh, no. Not sure how much longer they will make an option without it, plus this trim model has the manual gear shift.” Was his answer.

“So that’s why you chose this car? Because it’s a last of a dying breed?” She teased him a little, but she knew there was more to it than that. And, she was genuinely curious, plus, it was for research.

“Well, they do have the Turbo S with greater torque, and a higher top speed, but all the Turbo trim lines, and the GT, have all wheel drive. It’s good for the novice, but I wanted something different…” he was being evasive.

“What? Does it remind you of your first 911?” She persisted with a smile, thinking that this certainly wasn’t his first.

He sighed. “Well, yes, a little...Actually, it reminds me more of one of my father’s old cars. He had an early 356 Speedster. 1956. He had his painted a custom dark blue, darker than navy. A lot like this one. I guess it reminds me of him…” He finally relented. Damn, that was more than he had told anyone about this car.

“But no convertible, like your father’s?” she inquired again.

She was like a psychiatrist and an investigative reporter all in one, he thought. “I’m surprised you asked that question.” And he gave her a teasing look. “A woman with your background and education. You know, I _did_ pay attention when you explained your new designs today.” And at this point he was smirking and turning the tables.

It had been a bit of a soft question, but she wanted to know how serious he was about this car. Was it pure nostalgia, a throw-back done in a lovely modern way? Or was it more than that. “Yes, I assumed it might have something to do with drag, but it’s your daily car. Not one you drive on the race track. Companies have made a lot of money selling convertible cars, Porsche included.” And then grinned again and looked toward him, driving. She had gotten the answer she had wanted. “What was the track speed Porsche got when they tested this?”

“191 miles per hour.” He answered, still looking ahead, wondering again, why her attention had been turned to this car.

“Respectable…” she mused. “How high have you gotten it?” She asked.

“Well, I haven’t had it on a track.” He explained. “But about 170, I think.” He was low-balling his answer, trying not to look like a _Fast and the Furious_ junkie.

She nodded thinking, and looking around out the windscreen. The road ahead was straight, and for quite a while still to go. She was familiar with this road now. It was a Saturday morning, about 6:30am. “Did you have a passenger that time?” Thinking about extra weight and weight distribution.

“Ermm, no?” He was not quite following where she was going with this.

She followed up with, “Would you feel comfortable with a passenger, trying to reach higher speeds?”

What was she playing at? “I’m not quite sure…” and his brows were furrowed and he was visibly stumped.

“I was just thinking, I realize this isn’t a track, and this clearly isn’t your _work_ car, but if I’m truly to understand how you are as a driver, perhaps I need to be in the car with you when you drive? Not like this, of course, but faster.” She was convinced that this might be a key to helping crack the code of Sidney Parker. See what he was like behind the wheel of his own car, first hand. The car he carefully chose, maintained, and set up for his own personal use.

He looked at her with a double take to still keep an eye on the road, but shocked. “Are you mad?! This is not the car for something like that! And certainly not with a passenger. I cannot be responsible for your life out here in a street spec car! There are no roll bars, no harnesses, we don’t even have helmets! If I crashed this car, it’s not like the cars that you build, and you **know** that!” He was raising his voice, but the thought of being responsible for her life… if anything happened to her… he would not be able to live with himself, if he didn’t kill himself as well. Not that he really thought that would happen, he was more than confident in himself, and in this car. But the possibility of an outside force…it was risky.

“Your brother has told me all about your driving skills Mr. Parker, and Arthur is nothing if not precise. There is no one that we can see out on this road, and haven’t seen anyone for ages. I’m not saying you have to attempt 191 miles per hour, But I’m sure you could get up to at least 170, easily, even with the extra weight in the car. Plus, _this_ car does have excellent air-bags, which I can’t even put in your _other_ car.” The chances of him having an accident with his extensive experience and his knowledge of how this car works, was maybe 10-20 percent, max. She thought. Not minimal, but also not probable.

“You’re serious?” No one had asked him to drive off track at high speed since he was a teenager. Mostly because anyone who knew him knew he would say no. Last night with Crowe was different, he was angry and needed to focus, and the speed helped. Crowe was actually asking him to slow down. The situations were entirely different. Plus, Crowe never made him nervous. But she did. He wasn’t sure how he would handle it.

“Mr. Parker, there are 20 men currently on this _planet_ who are qualified and also contracted and _PAID_ to drive Formula One cars. Plus 10 or so test-reserve drivers. You are one of these men. You have had a seat in Formula One for, what, 8 years?” He nodded just a little, but his brows were tight and a furrow between them was getting deeper. “So, 8 years professional experience at the highest level possible, going on 9. We are sitting in _your_ car, that _you_ picked out, that you _chose._ YOU set it up the way you like. If I’m to learn what kind of driver you are, then I think I need to see you drive THIS car.”

Damn, he thought, she was starting to make sense. At least from her perspective, and what she was trying to do. His brows were relaxing a little and his shoulders were as well. He hadn’t even realized that they had tensed as well during this conversation. His eyes looked toward her. She was facing him fully now with her dimpled chin up, pointed stubbornly toward him. He was beginning to see why the techies in Engineering were a little frightened of her. She certainly knew how to build an argument when she wanted to. He exhaled, and looked over at her again.

“Are you SURE, you want to do this?” He had to ask her seriously, one more time.

“Quite sure, Mr. Parker.” She was a scientist in the midst of an experiment. She was not going to let this opportunity pass without at least trying.

“Take off your jacket, and tighten your seat belt. **_Tight_** ,” he emphasized. He watched as she followed his instructions, but did not look too hard, as he was already in his focus mode. He made some adjustments to his own seat, and checked the pedals with his feet without really pressing on them, more for placement, and yanked the strap of his own seat belt even tighter. He knew this road. It was straight, mostly, but also had some nice long bends, both left and right, one a little tighter than the other. Those should handle at least 140/150mph, perhaps more, he thought, depending how hard he wanted to push the car. She was finished, had stowed the bags and any loose items more securely.

“Done.” Was her only reply. And he started to drive

The sudden acceleration, and quick shifting between gears, did startle her a little, but she knew they were coming. The increase of intensity as the speedometer climbed was what she had seen on the data for ages, but had never really experienced. She could see his feet reacting so quickly in combination with the gear shift, it was almost like watching something at triple speed. And the car reacted almost as he did, responding with the growl of the RPM increasing to a roar before he shifted again to the next highest gear. 4, 5, 6 gears now. She had been on a few roller coasters, but she often saw their design flaws, and really did not trust them. Nor did she spend much time going to fun parks. But this was nothing like that. Her stomach knew all the same things she did, but she forgot that it was impossible to give a full explanation to her adrenal glands, and there was no way to turn those off.

It was thrilling. The roar of the 3 litre, twin turbo, rear mounted engine burned up her spine, making the hairs on her neck stand on end, and it spread all the way over the top of her head to the front of her hairline, and over her ears. It felt electric.

She looked at Sidney, fully in his element, focused only on the road, in complete control of his car, right hand securely on the wheel, left staying on the gear knob, and only occasionally moving to the wheel as well. Even without the paddle shifters on his very different work steering wheel, she could visualize him in his racing car. The speed increased more, and she could see that they were going over 150mph now. She wanted to look at his feet and how they worked together, but her head was now pushed back against the head rest from the g forces, and her fingers had gripped the soft leather of the sides of her seat. The landscape outside her passenger window was blurry, and she looked out the windscreen, saw the first bend coming and was able to tighten her abdominal muscles to brace her core. She looked, as his long fingers moved to deftly down shift and then go up again, then another gear as the road straightened. She couldn’t see the speedometer, but watched as Sidney’s eyes would quickly check the digital gauges in front of him. Oil pressure, petrol, speed, engine and system sensors in his car. The next bend in the road was in front of them sooner than she had expected, and this one was tighter. Down shifting twice, but late in the turn and braking even later. Her breath hitched as she tried to stabilize herself through the turn and the subsequent frantic increase in speed. He must have pushed it to the 7th gear shifting quickly up while pulling out of the turn, and she felt like she had experienced a revelation. It was unlike anything she had ever witnessed, or felt.

The road started to change and narrow, and Sidney began to slow the car, shifting down when he needed to. And as the engine relaxed, so did Sidney. He took a deep breath, and stretched his neck from side to side to finish the loosening up process. Another minute or so passed before she spoke.

“How fast?” she asked.

He looked over at her. “182,” and watched as her straight face was suddenly beaming. Her eyes and dimples shining. He shook his head and laughed at her apparent joy from the ride, and the satisfaction that he had put it there.

“See Mr. Parker, I knew I was putting my faith in the right man.” She was laughing lightly still, and felt silly from the rush of adrenaline. She did not even realize that she had given him exactly what he had been hoping to find last night. Not only did she want to know how he drove, and what he wanted from his car. She also trusted him.

“Did you learn anything?” He asked, and he was beaming right back, unable not to.

“I believe I did Mr. Parker.” And now, she was being evasive.

“Oh really, and what was that?” He sounded a bit terse but was clearly teasing her.

“I believe, you have confirmed that your brother Arthur is correct about most things.” And she was laughing again before she could finish the last 3 words of her sentence. Fully laughing now, which she had probably not done since before her father’s cancer diagnosis. And she felt 20 pounds lighter, as she wiped a few tears from her laughter off of her cheeks.

Of course, Sidney did not know what Arthur had told her about his driving, but he did remember how he had helped him last night, and had to agree with her. Plus, her laughter was infectious and he could not help but laughing with her, at the experience of the drive, and at her amusement at her own little inside joke.

Whatever walls that had been built between them seemed to be falling away, or at least they were now much shorter. When they arrived together at the track, they were still laughing a little, and joking between themselves, she thanked him for delivering her safely, and it was like the sea had changed. He went to his driver’s room to change and get ready, and she headed for the garage to check on the cars and their set up, but they were both still smiling.

Just the mechanics and a few of the engineers were there. She talked with them, told them Arthur was bringing the new front wings to test today. She also made a mental note to speak with George about some slight modifications for Mr. Parker’s car, and as he was his Race Engineer, she needed to run those ideas past him first. She finally opened her laptop on the island and started it up. Once powered, she looked at the clock on the toolbar. It was just then, after walking in and checking on everything, exactly one hour and 15 minutes from the time they had left headquarters. She thought back to what Arthur had said earlier about riding with Sidney, and started laughing again, and had to compose herself quickly glancing at the others in the garage. She pressed her lips together to keep the laughter at bay, and thought about what it had felt like to be in that car, to watch him drive, watch his practiced hands as he shifted and steered under pressure, how his eyes and his whole body focused on the road, and the car, and where the two met. She could not forget the command he took and the shift in his focus before he began, and how safe she had felt in spite of feeling the risk and the thrill of the speed. She shook her head just slightly back and forth, and uttered a small giggle… “Remarkable.” She whispered. “Truly remarkable.” With the giddiness still upon her, she did not realize that it wasn’t the experience she was talking about, but the driver himself.


	13. Press

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot thank all of you enough for your comments! I love to hear all of your thoughts and reactions. I have been trying to respond to most, it not all, of them. And I am sorry if I missed yours. Unusually busy and trying week this week. Thank you again for reading! 😊

Chapter13

Press

*Ring*

“Hello darling! Yes, it’s me Clara…. Yes, I know it’s been far too long, how are you, how are things? …. No, I know……Yes, well it **_is_** a small town, but we don’t stay here for very long do we?” She laughed. “No we’re off to Melbourne in just a month, then Bahrain, China, and then Azerbaijan….No, things look **_quite_** exciting this year…no, I _know_ it’s not your usual thing, but our driver **_is_** featured in some of your Ad copy, so closer than maybe you remember…..I’m calling because I think I may have something for you…. Yes…. yeees… no I promise, this is something you can bring to the Boss…. believe me, I am doing **_you_** a favor…. l am definitely making your job easier…. Listen, I’m still working on the angle for you, not that you need help…. hahaha, nooo. I am positive you will ** _love_** this….I know you will because **_I_** love it…..It will fill a gap that I _know_ you have been looking for….Yes, darling, I promise to get back with you very soon…Then I’m sure we will need to make some introductions…yes, I know the Boss is picky…. OK, love… I promise I will! MWAH!... Miss you too! ….. Just make sure and pick up the next time I call, or I’ll take it somewhere else” (She teased) “…. Of course, I called you first, inspiration hit me this morning.” (Well, almost the first call, she thought slyly, tapping her pen on her desk) … Yes, I’ll call you again soon! Ciao darling!

“Clara?” She looked up to see Tom peeking around her office door before stepping in.

“Tom, how are you? I haven’t seen you in a while.” She asked, because shockingly, she hadn’t.

“Yes, well, trying to work with some investors. I was hoping maybe you might have some leads? I know you still have many connections in the business and media world.” He asked.

That was an unusual request, that was something that Tom usually did, and wanted to do on his own. “Have you been to the track lately, Tom?” He shook his head no. “Have you even seen how the cars are doing this year?” Again, shaking his head no. “Tom, maybe you should go. Things look good, as far as testing goes. No one really knows how the cars all stack up until we get to Australia, and then they change everything after that anyway.”

“True, true…” He said.

“I’m not sure what your concerns are, unless of course, you want to tell me.” She said, suddenly a little concerned about how quiet he was. That was very out of character. His hiding this past week had also been strange, she thought he might have been sick, or maybe something going on with the kids. Inhaling, she decided to do something she had never done in the years she had been working at Parker's, and had almost sworn not to. “You know, bringing on the Heywoods seems like it was a genius move on your part.” She complimented him. Tom was always full of ideas, some good, some bad, mostly poorly executed if he was left to his own devices, but occasionally, he struck platinum. Although, she had not seen one of those in a long while.

“Really? Do you really think so?” He asked surprised. He also knew this was not typical for Clara. She was smooth, she was clever, but compliments from her were earned if sincere, and a way of getting something she wanted, if she wasn’t. That was not something he expected, and there couldn’t be anything that she would have wanted from him.

“Yes. They seem to be fitting in quite well. Surely, you’ve spoken with Arthur about their progress? I don’t really understand any of it, and even I can tell that the car is quick off the line.” Now she was shocked, had he really not been keeping up with _anything_?

“No, well…. I’ve been busy with other things…” He trailed off.

“Well, if I were you, I would head down there today, and tomorrow if you want to see for yourself. It might help soothe some of your concerns.” And then she smiled at him. It might have been a slightly pitying smile, slightly questioning his motives and lack of interest, but a smile none the less.

“Right, right, of course. Thank you, Clara.” He finished before leaving her office.

'Odd,' she thought. A week ago, he couldn’t shut up about the Heywoods coming, and now he seemed to be avoiding them. Tom was always inconstant, and inconsistent, but if he could take credit for something he usually would. She had been on the losing end of that before. It wouldn’t make sense for someone else to get the credit they deserve if Tom was in the room. 'So why was he avoiding taking credit for his own idea?' She wondered. She knew she needed to get down to the track soon, even just to supervise, if not mediate between the family if necessary. ‘Some days I feel like a glorified nanny.’ She thought gathering her things to leave, and with good reason. 

Charlotte had quickly typed up a list of possible modifications, most of them small, to George and Arthur while she was thinking about it, and the garage was still quiet. She went over to James’ car and thought about his preferences, and decided to wait and see what Mr. Parker thought and how today’s testing would go before changing both cars, especially since he was already testing the new front wing. More of the crew started to funnel in, and eventually Michael arrived with James, and he checked in with her about what they would be running on James’ car. Arthur was able to show up another hour later with the new wings arriving right behind him.

“Some minor complications, but it’s all sorted now,” Arthur told her. “How was the ride up?” He asked her.

“Good, it gave me some ideas actually. Some things I’d like to go over with you, George, and your brother. I sent you an email when you get the chance to check it.” She said. She looked up at him smiling and went back to typing up the notes she was analyzing and translating from her notebook, and Arthur laid his own laptop next to her on the engineer island.

A few moments later, Diana came in with Sidney after his morning warm ups and strengthening work out, and they were soon joined by George. She flicked her eyes up from her computer screen to watch as Sidney interacted with his mechanics, he was now dressed in his half zipped-up racing suit with the top half hanging loose behind him, and she felt a little flush come over her. She averted her eyes back down to her notes, which only served to remind her of the ride into work, and the flush grew up to her cheeks, and she was suddenly quite warm. As if it was suffocating her, she quickly removed her jacket and hung it on the back of her tall stool, and despite the short sleeves of her shirt in the cool morning air, she was still feeling too warm.

“Charlotte!” Arthur exclaimed. She also saw that George and Sidney had looked over to them. The sound of Arthur’s sudden burst having gotten their attention.

“What is the matter, Arthur?” she asked startled and concerned, it sounded like something was wrong.

“Well, I was reading the email you sent. Oh, well, silly me, I guess you could have sent it from anywhere.” He shook his head as a way to dismiss his thoughts.

Her brow was furrowed, “I don’t understand, Arthur, the only place I’ve been is here.”

Arthur laughed a lilting chuckle, “No, I just saw the time it was sent, and thought you couldn’t have gotten here that fast to type it up. But that’s what phones are for, are they not? Can send things from anywhere.” He chuckled again.

She bit her lip not to laugh, raised her eyes enough to look a Sidney who looked to be doing the same as he glanced at her and then Arthur, holding back his smile. She straightened and inhaled “No, quite right… Although, we did make excellent time on the empty road.”

At that Sidney had to clear his throat to cover his sudden burst of laughter, and he had to turn away from the knowing look she had given him right after she said it. Impossible to wipe the smile from his face, even if he could cover up his laugh. It had been an exceptional way to start the day, he thought. He was then thinking about how he could contrive a way to have her to ride back to the offices with him as well, as he dipped his head and turned it just enough to glance and see her back at work, but there was a good chance that wouldn’t happen. It would be too obvious. But obvious of what, he asked himself, but he wasn't really listening to himself at that moment. He glanced back once more. It would be nice if the ride took a little longer this time though, he thought.

James watched as Charlotte was talking with Arthur, George and Sidney and they were discussing some changes to add to Sidney’s car. They each had the new wing on their cars, but they seemed to be in deep discussion about other new changes. This, James did not like. ‘How could they possibly be doing so much to Sidney’s car, when he basically threw a tantrum after his drive yesterday?’ He was thinking to himself. James had seen the tense interaction with Sidney and George, and had seen him ignoring Charlotte when she tried to talk with him. And it was impossible to not see how his drive had gone yesterday. Less than stellar, would have been how James had seen it. Everyone has bad days, but he knew that Sidney was getting special treatment now. His last name on the front of the garage, and on the car itself, certainly had perks, he thought. James had given them so much to work with from his laps yesterday and the day before, and this is how they responded, throwing everything at Sidney to make him better. Envy was starting to creep into his chest. James had no intention of becoming a number 2 team driver. He certainly had no intention of yielding to his teammate on the track, and he most certainly was not going to be shoved aside for one Mr. Sidney Parker, no matter what the situation.

What bothered him even more than all of his competitive instincts on the track, was how much more comfortable Charlotte was looking around Sidney. He had treated her as if she were wallpaper yesterday, and now they were chatting and practically joking with one another. What on earth had happened? What ever it was, James did not like it. He did not like seeing Charlotte chatting it up with that internationally renowned playboy and philanderer. All of those photos and stories couldn’t be wrong. Even if only half of them had been based in the truth, that would have been more than enough. If he got close to Charlotte, he would only use her and throw her aside. That made him angry, protective. James had known of his stronger feelings for her for a couple months now, and had been professional and respectful. Their father had been sick, and it certainly wasn’t the time to try his luck. When this deal with Parker's came through, it _really_ wasn’t the time. Now, he was wondering if he was already too late. If he had missed his chances with her. If it wasn’t with Sidney, she might find someone else, which concerned him even more. Sidney would no doubt lose interest and move on, he thought. But the pit lane and garages were filled with men. Smart, educated, engineers and designers, billionaire businessmen, and much more so than with Formula 3. That might be worse, he thought. He reminded himself that he had never given up on anything in his life, and he was definitely not going to start now.

Testing had gone better for Sidney than the day before, and the new adjustments from Charlotte’s suggestions had given him his fastest lap times for the week. James had also done very well with the new front wing. He had them make some slight adjustments to its vents when he came back in the pit for new tyres, and was able to find better speed in the straights. Arthur and Charlotte were very happy with how the day had been progressing, as were their drivers.

Unbeknownst to most of the garage and pit wall, was that Tom had hidden himself in the back to watch. He watched the real time lap graphic, to see how the cars were getting around. He was able to see the reactions of the pit crew, the mechanics, and the engineers on the island. He found his headset, and was able then to hear the transmissions on the team radio between the drivers and their Race Engineers.

Clara was right, something was different. There was excitement, hope, smiles and a new desire to win that the team hadn’t had in a very long time. The fellows in the garage were whooping with the faster times He knew that he’d had ideas that had risked everything, and more than once, almost took everything from the entire family. He knew where the team was, and whilst it was not on the brink of ruin, it was one bad season away from it. Or at least, one bad season would have forced them to sell, and the Parkers would no longer be a part of Parker Racing.

He had desperately been looking for new investors, and new sponsors, more money that would have held them through another difficult year. 7th place doesn’t earn an F1 team very much in the championship winnings. The building, the new fabrication equipment, the constant upgrades, the computers, every last supply had been draining what they had built up over the years. At least the land had been free, he thought. He was thrilled with the opportunities with the Heywoods, but those many past mistakes had haunted him all week. He was second guessing himself and couldn’t seem to get rid of his fear, his anticipation of dread. He was tired, and this partnership had been a last-ditch effort to keep them in the black and hopefully on some podiums. If they could move up the team rankings even two spots, he thought, that would do it. His heart was excited, but his brows were concerned. The Heywoods could leave after this season if they wanted to, per the contract. Or they would come in as real partners, and the Parkers would have to share the team name. He had to hand it to Joseph Heywood, he knew what his team was worth, and made sure to ask for it. But the pressure for everything to work had finally caught up with him. To get the cars to run, the drivers to succeed even a little more than last year, to convince the Heywoods to stay if things went well, had finally broken him. Or at least that’s how he felt. If they failed, they failed. If they succeeded, the Parkers could still fail in another year if another, larger, more profitable, more appealing team lured them away. Success or failure, they could still lose everything sooner rather than later, and they had already faced ruin two times before. Unless something kept the Heywoods there, unless there were reasons they wanted to stay. Seeing how things were running was encouraging, but it was no guarantee. And a guarantee was what he was looking for.

Clara had pulled James as soon as she could from his driver's room after his last session, and accompanied him to the press room. She made sure he had the team hat to wear for the cameras, and had tried to loosen him up before speaking to the press. For drivers to come off the track after spending everything they had on it, well it was not always easy to jump into a press conference. She suspected that was why he was a little quieter than the last few times she had spoken with him. She had tried the slightly flirty route with him earlier on in the week, but he had also been reserved then. At least he’s a professional and keeps his hands to himself, unlike Crowe, she thought. Yes, very respectful, very appealing to the press, if a little boring, but she could work with that. The sweet English boy next door. Yes, that could work quite well, especially if her other plan worked out, bringing a sly smile to her face. This year was definitely going to be fun.

“So, James, how has the change from F3 to F1 been going? I mean, not many drivers make that much of a direct leap into F1. Are you sure you are up for it?”

James gave his sweet side smile to the reporter. “I’d say the results on the track this week could answer that question for me.” Getting a few snickers from the other reporters in the room. They were all aware how well he had been doing.

“But aren’t you concerned about a rookie year with a much more experienced teammate, and on an established team?” Again, needling and hoping to find a weakness.

“I guess if I wanted to dwell on it, and spend my time focusing on the _other_ guy on the track, rather than what _I’m_ doing on the track. But that has never been how my mind works. My job is to focus on myself, my car, listening to my engineers, and doing my homework to be ready for each race. That’s not going to change now.”

“Do you credit Heywood Racing and their partnership for giving you a short cut to the top?”

At this point, Clara was ready to jump in. She knew these F1 reporters, no matter what country they came from. Always looking for a weak point to press on until it broke. Always looking for drama and tension, wanting to be the David to their superstar Goliaths, and threw as many stones as they could find, trying to tear them down. But James surprised her.

“Actually, I am fully aware of how my association with Heywood Racing has helped me to get here. But I’m still here, and working hard, as my testing laps have shown. The car is quick, and I’m still one of the lads driving it.” He teased them with a grin, and garnered another chuckle from the reporters. “Believe me, I know what a privilege it has been to work and to know the Heywoods, and I imagine the Parker Team is learning that now as well. Its been 8 days, and I’ve only been in the car for 4 of those days. I think my results, so far, have more than spoken for my skills behind the wheel. And that is what really matters.”

‘Perfect.’ She thought. “OK, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Stringer has more work to do before tomorrow, so we are finished with him for today.” She announced. A few more questions were peppered at them as he pushed the mic back on the table in front of him, and stood to walk out of the room. Clara stepped behind him, almost like a barrier between him and the flashbulbs and chatter and led him out.

“Are they always that bad?!” He asked her.

“Usually worse, wait until it’s a race weekend, and there are 3 times as many reporters and cameras everywhere. Although… I must say, you handled that exceptionally well. They will always try to push you, and use you for a headline if they can. Between the printed press and the online presence, they are all looking for something to write about. All looking to break the next big story. The best thing, and the trick to it, is if you can find a way to get them to write about what you _want_ them to write about.” She answered, and something she had excelled at in the past. “And you did just that.”

She smiled at him, and he finally seemed to relax a little. “Don’t worry, it will get a little easier with practice. They just want to create tension, create a rivalry between teammates if they can. I’m sure you and Sidney will find a way to compete with each other on your own. It’s just in your nature.” It was very matter of fact, and not incorrect. Clara certainly had their number. Drivers shared common characteristics to get to the level that they were competing at, and they were bound to clash. “The key", she continued, "is to make sure the competition stays on the track, or behind closed doors, if you want to keep the press out of your business. Otherwise… it can get a little tricky.” Nothing like a shoving match in the garage to make the press salivate, she thought. She had seen it up and down the pit lane more times than she cared to count, and its aftermath plastered in print.

After his thoughts earlier, he noticed how timely her comments were. He nodded. He had heard what she said. But he also knew he had a line, and if it was crossed, well… hopefully it wouldn’t be, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a Post Script. I love journalists who do it well. But I have seen clips from F1 media days with the reporters who follow them, and some of them really do ask some of the most asinine questions. Not all of them, obviously. Just some of them, but those are often the clips that we see because the drivers give them a hard time about it. 😁


	14. Press, Part II

Chapter 14

Press, Part II

Sidney had a longer afternoon session to test alternative settings on the front wing. The extra data would be helpful in the races to come, depending on the tracks, and what the cars needed. After yesterday, it had felt good to get back in the car with a much more focused mind. Plus, he had some work to make up to help make things right with the team, and he knew it. James had two really good sessions today, and now they were making different settings on Sidney's car to get more data.

His morning had also helped relieve some of his worries, but it also gave him more questions. He was undeniably drawn to Dr. Heywood, and in a way that he was not accustomed. Was it because they worked together, and he was seeing her everyday? Was it because she was beautiful? Beautiful and also brilliant? So very brilliant, he thought. There were so many reasons, or all of them combined, and he wasn’t sure what had him so intrigued. He had been in love once, at least he thought it was love, but he had also been very young at the time. But he was not young enough for it to have escaped the newspapers.

_**“Racing Driver’s Fiancée Runs Off with French Billionaire, Jacques Campion”**_

That pretty much told the whole story. Other than the fact that her father had also been a major investor with Parker Racing. It had nearly destroyed the team, his family, and his career, in addition to his pulverized heart when they took their investment with them when she left him. It was easy to see why Sidney had chosen the life of bachelorhood, and casual relationships after such a blow. But he felt differently now. Like he was a different person, and his discussion about relationships with Babington the other day had jolted him. Even if he wanted a relationship, how did one go about that? How do you know you’re ready, that the other person is ready, does anyone ever know? And those questions did not even include logistics, something that Sidney considered in all his decisions, big and small.

“Sidney, where is your head? You’ve been distracted all day! Except on the track, I will give you that. But I have had to repeat myself to you all afternoon, and even this morning.” Diana was at the end of her rope. He had told her that he had done some drinking the night before, so that could have been part of it, but more likely, it was related to why he was drinking in the first place. Whatever that was. “Aren’t you a little young for a mid-life crisis? Your 30th birthday isn’t even until the end of October!”

“Thanks for reminding me Diana, I’m sure that will help.” He dead panned.

“You know I’m just teasing you. You are in better shape than most people half your age. In all seriousness though, I’m sure that something is going on.” She was hoping he might open up. They had always been close. Close in age and close in interests.

He considered talking to Diana, in a general way, not… naming names, or at least not one name in particular, that kept popping up in his head. But he decided he wasn’t ready for that conversation. He had put off any discussion of any kind of relationship for the past 8 years, he didn’t want to start one now, especially after just 8 days! “I think maybe it’s a ‘driver's mid-career crisis.’ If I’m lucky then I’ll get…what, maybe 10 more years, maybe closer to 5 years more?” It wasn’t a lie, and it was definitely on his mind. Then what? Working at Parker Racing, or working as a analyst and commentator for the broadcasts, maybe writing about racing? The last thing he wanted was to become part of the press corps. He really did have too much on his mind, and with the season getting ready to start, it was all more than he could manage. Even for someone as disciplined as he was.

“With your level of dedication, I can see you driving for another 10 years. And even, if for some reason you don’t, you’ve always been smart and well-spoken. You could work as a team consultant, join the Board, or maybe get married and have kids.” She smiled at the thought. “That would definitely keep you busy.” She said with a wink. But knowing Sidney’s past she added, “Or you could adopt, if that’s what you wanted to do.” She wasn’t sure if he would ever find someone who would be worth the emotional and physical time, for him, let alone put up with him. No one else had been able to crack his shell so far, and there had been countless women who had tried.

“True.” He pondered what she said. “In some ways, I want all of what you said. I’m just not sure who I’ll be once I stop driving.” That was definitely true. Most kids dream of following in the footsteps of their favorite athletes and sportsmen, he had actually been able to do that. What would he be when he finally grew up and out of this part of his life? He was starting to better understand all of Babington’s lament. “Sorry about today, I promise I will have my head on straight for tomorrow.”

She nodded, “OK, I’ll hold you to that.” And raised an eyebrow so that he understood that she sincerely meant it.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door of his driver’s room. It was Clara, coming to get him for the press conference. He needed to change out of his gym clothes he had been wearing for his work out with Diana, and said he would be right there.

“Perfect, I’ll just go fetch Charlotte.” She said with a smile, and turned on her toes to head to the garage. Diana also left to give him privacy to change, which also left him with his thoughts. ‘Charlotte,’ her name stuck with him, but he hadn’t really said it out loud yet. Almost like it would be too intimate if he did. Like if he said it, his emotions might run away with him, and he would not be able to catch them. He shook his head, put on his team gear, his team hat and headed toward the press room. "Get a grip, Sidney," he mumbled.

He ended up waiting for 10 more minutes, and before Clara returned with Dr. Heywood. Clara left to talk with the press to give a quick statement, and only then was he able to see Dr. Heywood better. Clara had obviously prepared her for the cameras, pulling her curls away neatly from her face, and added some blush and lip gloss. At least that’s what he could notice. He had never realized that all the times he had seen her, she had been without any makeup. No filter, he thought. Her beauty was so natural, so intrinsic to who she was, the makeup didn’t add or take anything away. She looked beautiful either way. To snap himself out of it, he made a joke instead.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” cocked his head a little but with a twinkle in his eyes, and put out his hand to shake hers.

“If you had only been this polite when we actually did meet, we could have saved so much time,” She retorted. But she was also smiling.

“Touché, Dr. Heywood. I surrender.” With a sinking feeling that he meant it, and he suddenly felt panicked.

“Well, you are quite right. Clara is teaching me the ways of ‘physical presentation’, if you will. Not something I’ve spent much time on, I’m afraid.” She was suddenly self-conscious. She had seen some of the young women who had hung around the F3 paddocks, and they had all looked like burgeoning super-models. She was not looking forward to what the women flocking towards F1 probably looked like. She was wringing her fingers at this point and her brow furrowed with a sudden, and uncharacteristic insecurity. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself, and tried to remember that she was not there for that.

He had seen the shift, the sudden ground swell that had caught her in… something, unsure what. Her first real press conference, first time in front of so many cameras? Maybe that was bothering her. And after his earlier joke wanted to clarify what he had meant.

“I certainly wouldn’t want to tell Clara how to do her job, but I’m not sure that any of that is necessary… in this case.” As soon as he had said it, he suddenly had Crowe’s voice chastising him in his head: “Did you really just say that? Why not just ask her to move in with you Sid?” He clenched his jaw and berated himself for being so… obvious. Dammit, there it is again. Obvious. He looked down and lifted his team hat to run his hands through his hair, and to try and hide his face.

When he finally did look at her, her wide expressive eyes were looking at him, and a small smile appeared. “Thank you, Mr. Parker. You are… very kind.” It was quiet. Not like the over-confident glamazons who practically hunted him down. It seemed that she didn’t even realize what his comment could have meant, or at least how rare it was that a comment like that came out of his mouth, if ever. To her, perhaps, he was simply being supportive, like any other co-worker. All of this was becoming even harder by the second, so when Clara ushered them into the press room, he had never been so relieved to talk with journalists in his life.

***

“You’re the first woman to have a head technical or engineering position on an F1 team. How do you feel about that?” The reporter hoped that leaving it open would give her a chance to maybe say more than she expected to.

“Feel?” she asked with a small smile in return. “My job requires me to think, sir. Not to feel.” And some of his rivals chuckled at her answer to his bait. “Although I will say that I am ‘feeling’ confident in what we as an entire team at Parker’s are doing. I am just one part of many pieces working toward the same goal.”

“But don’t you feel pressure? The pressure to do more and be more successful in order to pave the way for other women in the STEM fields?” The reporter pressed.

“Sir, I have two Master’s degrees and a Doctorate in Aerodynamics. You don’t achieve those things without performing under pressure, willingly and knowingly. Any other pressure applied, apart from what I already put upon myself, would be negligible. My desire to do my job well will always be foremost in my thoughts. I certainly hope young women can see that it is possible, but more than that, I hope the other _teams_ who could hire them, because the women are out there, would see that as well.”

“And how do you plan on getting other teams to see that women are capable to work in this field.” Another reporter, younger, and definitely less experienced interjected.

Charlotte smiled and decided to ignore the “capable” part of his question. “By producing a winning car, of course.” Like it was the simplest thing in the world to do. Some of the reporters laughed, but she was deadly serious. “But I can’t drive the cars, that’s what Mr. Parker and Mr. Stringer are here to do, and I have great faith in them to do just that.”

“Sidney? What do you say to that?” Yet another voice asked.

“I’d say, that I can’t speak for Mr. Stringer, but for my own opinion, this is one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. It’s a shame that testing is done after tomorrow.” He said scratching the scruff on his cheek. “It will be hard to wait to get back in it until we reach Australia.” He smiled and looked over at her. Flash bulbs had been going the whole time, and suddenly popped even faster as the two shared a mutual smile and then looked back out at the scrum of reporters, video and still cameras. “The whole team has worked round the clock to get things accomplished this week. I’m very proud of their work on the car, and will be even more proud to race with it.”

“Sidney, what do you think of your new teammate? Is James as good as we hear he is?” Again, digging for dirt.

“Depends on what you’ve heard. He is adapting to the car very well, and he’s quick. We are always wanting the whole team to perform well, and I think he will.” Sidney said with a half-smile. He certainly wasn’t going to tell them anymore than that, complimentary, but evasive.

‘Perfection’ Clara thought, ‘That could not have gone better if I had written them a script.’ “Thank you everyone, we may not be taking questions tomorrow, so we will see you all in Melbourne soon!” She announced. More questions, more flashbulbs, as Sidney rose from his chair and helped to usher Charlotte out through the door behind them by having her walk in front of him.

“I think I’m blind from all those flashes!” Charlotte said when they finally reached the team paddock area behind the press room, and walked into the sunlight. Shielding her eyes and trying to focus.

Clara laughed, “Yes, they were certainly excited to take your picture.” She was very pleased with how that had gone.

“I’m not sure I will ever get used to that.” She said.

“I don’t know that you ever get used to it, trying to look down, or up, and away from looking right into the flash helps.” Sidney added.

“Michael told me he was waiting to take you home with him, so let’s head that way.” Clara informed her. “Excellent job today, both of you. Very happy with how you both handled those barbarians.” Clara said with a smile, and she took Charlotte’s arm.

The next morning, Charlotte’s phone woke her up at 6 am with the constant double-buzz alert of text messages. At first, she did not know what was going on. They did not have any parts that were being made overnight, and she was finally able to sleep in until 6:30 before she and Michael were going to drive to the track.

Allison: 9 text messages

Esther: 3 text messages

Mom: 2 text messages

Aunt Augusta: 1 text message

Arthur: 1 text message

Charlotte rubbed her eyes, confused. What on earth? Had something happened to Dad? And she panicked. She checked her mother’s first.

Mom:

: Is there something you want to tell me?

: Don’t worry, Papa hasn’t seen it.

OK, something was **_seriously_** wrong!

Allison:

: So, when were you going to tell me about this?

: @Link to a story from Racing News website

: @Link to a story from Celebrities R Us website

: I mean, I can’t blame you 😉

: Mom is going to flip when she sees this!

: Shit! Dad is really going to flip!

: I can’t believe you held out on me and I have to find out from a news alert!!

: Am I even your sister?????!!!!!!!

: WAKE UP CHARLOTTE- Call me!

She clicked on the first Link:

“ ** _Looks Like the Cars Are Not the Only Thing Moving Fast at Parker Racing”_**

Her stomach dropped, and there were pictures. Her, getting out of Sidney’s car yesterday morning. Him opening her door for her and helping her out with her bag. They were smiling, laughing, and a couple pictures showed maybe some glances given between them that the other one couldn’t see at the time. Surreptitious, admiring, glances. Both of the them. “ **OH MY GOD**!” Below those were pictures from the press conference. The two of them smiling and looking at each other, another one when he was smiling and watching her when she was answering a question, and the last one of him, almost reaching for her lower back to guide her as she was leaving the press conference. And again, the only thing she could say was “ **OH MY GOD**!”

She exited that site, not able to take it anymore, and thought about the next one, dreading what she might see there. Celebrity stalking sites were the worst, she knew that, vermin, pond scum, nuclear waste... Her finger hovered, shaking, over the link for a minute before she finally caved.

“ ** _Sidney Parker, Crashing into New Tech Director, ‘Dr.’ Charlotte Heywood: Let’s Hope She Can Actually Design the Cars_** ”

This one was just a website, so they did not skimp on the headline. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to throw her phone! “ ’ ** _DR_**?’ “ She exclaimed when she read it again and noticed that her prefix was actually in quotes. Like she had just made it all up. Then most of the same pictures, a few different ones, but still as bad, and just as incriminating looking. She groaned. “I’m going to be sick.” She ran to the adjoining bathroom and stood over the sink, waiting, but nothing came up except dread.

“How? Why? Where were they? How did they find us in the morning?” How did they suddenly become an ‘us?’ She thought. Then, another wave of nausea. “Oh god, please tell me they did not see us driving on the highway…” She mumbled desperately as she ran back over to her phone on the bed, and quickly read the trash magazine articles. None of them mentioned any highly illegal speeding, so at least that was not in there, and she felt some relief. Except that, how on earth could she feel anything but horrified right now?!

She went back to the text messages.

Esther:

: I cannot believe that you have been in Sanditon for just a week, and are already carousing with Sidney bloody Parker! I grew up with him, and he definitely does NOT deserve you!

: So help me, if you do not call me today I will hunt you down at work tomorrow.

: Even better- I’ll hunt you down at work with a dozen red roses signed, From Sidney with love. I know something is not right here! Explanation is critical!

Arthur:

: I’ve seen the articles. I’m going to go see Sidney at home before work. If you need me to break his kneecaps tell me. We can talk later.

Aunt Augusta:

: Please just tell me you are using protection.

And that was it, for now. “ **Shit**!” I don’t even have his number, how could anything be going on between us, she thought. She couldn’t even text him to coordinate a strategy, a counter attack.

Michael had heard her screams, and came rushing in.

“Have, have, have ...” She couldn’t even say it out loud, holding up her phone. “Seen this?” She sounded wounded, pitiful, he thought.

“I just saw texts from Allison, and mom, even Aunt Augusta, but I hadn’t looked at them yet.” Her eyes were filling with tears, and he opened his phone. Shocked. Shell-Shocked. Michael was stunned. He looked back at her. “How?” He looked at her inquisitively. “Is anything…?”

“Do **NOT** even ask me that Michael. You know there isn’t! I’ve barely even slept this week. There hasn’t even been time for… for... anything…” and again she couldn’t finish.

“Well…” he looked a little doubtful, and a small smirk formed. “It’s not hard to find time, if you’re looking for it.” He knew he shouldn’t have said it, but it was true. Lots of closets and quiet corners, and things could just… happen. She jumped up from sitting on her bed and punched him at full strength in his arm. “Hey!! I taught you how to do that to use on other people, not me!”

“Then stop saying slanderous things about me, Michael! They think I can’t even design the cars! That’s what those **_vile_** people are saying about me!” And the tears were flowing full force now. “Shit! We have another day of testing today! What am I going to do? What… the engineers, the mechanics… Oh my god! William, Daniel, and John! What are they going to think about me? Will they believe this? They’ve known me since before I could walk!” She was pacing and shaking now. He put his hands on her shoulders and motioned for her to sit back down on the bed.

It was all hitting her. This was going to be absolutely everywhere. Everyone who had ever met her, gone to school with her, competed with her, everyone, and everyone Sidney knew, and all of his hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and his _family_. “Mom said she didn’t tell Dad, but there is no way he is not going to see this. Impossible for him not to see this.” She was shaking her head, eyes wide open in shock, defeated, and basically talking to herself. “It’s over. My career is over before it even started.”

“Your career is not over, believe me.” He hesitated, and waited a minute for her to process. “Umm, have you talked to Sidney?” She shook her head quietly, stunned and still looking out at some unknown point in space.

“I don’t have his number.” Was her reply.

“How do you not have the number of your lead driver?” it was a legitimate question, but one she did not want to hear right now.

“I just don’t have it, Michael! I only really talked to him for the first time yesterday. YESTERDAY, in his car when he drove me to the track. Then setting up the car, and then right before the press conference…” Yesterday, she thought. How had all that been in just one day? Still shaking her head, still looking off into the distance, Michael took his phone and looked at the articles again, while his sister contemplated moving to Antarctica … or Africa. Those are the only 2 continents that don’t have a Formula 1 race, she thought. Surely there is ongoing research on wind dynamics, and erosion in Antarctica… Or the Sahara, She thought. Desperate.

“Lottie, I hate to say this, but… are you sure nothing is going on? I mean, these pictures look… well they look like two people who find each other…… well... _very_ attractive.” He said it, as well as he could, but those pictures did seem to tell a story, and he had to ask.

She stopped crying for a minute. “What do you think is going to happen Michael? I’m pretty sure that I am _not_ Sidney Parker’s _type_!” She stopped for a minute and dropped her head, looking toward her lap where her legs were crossed on the bed in front of her. Her phone, taunting her as it sat there. She finally sighed, “Of course, I find him attractive. I don’t think there are many women alive who wouldn’t.” She sounded completely defeated, like she was sinking right in front of him. This was not the Lottie he knew.

He sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her and let her bury her head in his chest while the tears came back, and she squeezed around his back. “Do you want me to call mom and Alison?” He asked. She simply nodded yes in reply. Is there anyone else? She shook her head no.

“No, I think I’ll have to take care of the others myself.” She answered softly, and slowly pulling herself away.

“What about Sidney? Don’t you think you should talk to him?” He asked.

“What would I say? Sorry the paparazzi think we’re dating, hope it doesn’t mess up your social life?!” She was being sarcastic, but she knew he would bounce back from this a lot easier than she would, and she resented that. She heard the buzz of her phone again. This time it was from Clara.

Clara:

: Charlotte, I hope you’re OK. Will you come see me at headquarters before you head to testing today? We should talk.

This, she felt she needed to reply to at once.

Charlotte:

: Yes, I’ll be there in less than an hour.

“Well, I’m being called in to work to see Clara. I hope she has some kind of plan to deal with this, because I am lost. Would you bring me? I don’t know how well I can drive today.” She said, shaking, and still incredibly sad as she looked up at him.

“Got your back, remember? C'mon, let's get up and go see Clara." He gave her the small “Heywood” smile, and she nodded in return.


	15. Options

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep you waiting. This one went through several versions.

Chapter 15

Options

“Sidney!" He banged harder on the door. "Sidney!” Arthur had already texted his brother over and over, and was now assaulting his door at 6:30am. He did not care if he woke up the whole terrace. He didn’t care if he woke up the whole of Sanditon. He was about to yell his name again when a text came through.

Sidney:

: I’m coming, please don’t break down my door. 1 min

He finally showed up. He was dressed, he had a packed bag, but it was still unzipped and clothes were not folded or tucked-in properly. He dropped it in the middle of his hallway, and he looked pale and nauseous.

“I’m assuming you have seen at least one of the articles?” Asked Arthur

“There’s more than one?” He looked struck.

“At least two, but now that these photos are out there, my guess is many, many, more.” Arthur hated to be the bearer of bad news, but there it was. No way to sugar-coat it. Best to rip off the bandage all at once. He watched as his brother walked slowly to the nearest chair in his front living room, the room he hardly used, but now it felt like the most essential room in his house. He sunk to the grey flannel-covered arm chair, but still did not speak. Arthur approached him, but said nothing.

Finally, “You asked me to drive her to the track, Clara asked us to do a press conference, and now, I’m supposed to be sleeping with her? A woman I work with, after just a few days? Am I that much of a cad that I can’t keep it in my trousers for longer than a week?! She is the one who will be damaged by this Arthur, not me! According to what I read this morning, I apparently _have_ no moral compass. But _she_ does, you know that!” Sidney was stunned, and more than a little ashamed that his reputation had somehow tainted Dr. Heywood. All the other women he had been linked with. All the many, many, many women, had all been insignificant to him. Temporary. They did not know him, his family, his work, his business. They certainly had never grilled him about all the decisions he had made in regards to his favorite car, and then actually anticipated and understood the answers. He looked up at Arthur, “This is my fault. No one would have looked at who she was with under any other circumstances.” It was flat, all facts. He swallowed hard. “How can I face her after this, Arthur? Nothing like this has ever happened before at work. How can I fix it?”

“You most certainly have a moral compass, otherwise you would not care about this. And well…” he chuckled a little. “There have been many pretty women at work, but none of them have been anything like Charlotte. Certainly not with such a high-profile position. And none _nearly_ as interesting, pretty, and young.”

“Why don’t _you_ date her, Arthur?” He snapped. Maybe a little jealous that Arthur had seen all those qualities so easily as well.

“You know perfectly well that Charlotte is not my type, brother. And I’m almost sure Charlotte knows that as well, without me having to say anything.” Arthur added.

Sidney knew he was being ridiculous, jealous of his gay brother, who also got to go to work every day and see her for hours at a time. He finally calmed a little. “I can’t believe they got these pictures. She’s going to hate me Arthur.” He finally rested his face in his hands, rubbing the scruff he kept so neatly trimmed, but not shaved.

“The fact that you are concerned for her, for what she will think, and how to fix it, says a lot about how she might take it, Sidney. At least once you talk with her.” Arthur saw the panic in his face. “Sidney, you will _have_ to talk with her. You still have to _work_ with her. And her with you. They have a contract. They are here for the entire season. 10 more months, at least.”

Sidney tried to let that sink in. He was going to have to be the ‘bigger man’ he was going to have to step up and deny it, and talk with the team, and all the guys in the garage and, honestly, anyone who would listen. Suddenly he snapped his head up, “Oh god. Her parents!” The guilt really hit his gut there. She was mature, but still young. Her parents had helped her to get this position. Her and, “Michael, shit!” Half in his head and half out loud. It seemed though, that Arthur was keeping up. “Arthur, I have to apologize, I have to tell them it’s my fault! And then I have to sue those BLOODY news sites! Who has the right to accuse her of anything? She is blameless in all of this!” Arthur was watching him lash out.

“How many of the articles have you looked at?” He finally inquired after Sidney stewed in his anger for a few minutes.

Sidney shrugged, “Just the one.”

I think you need to look at them, Sidney.” Arthur took out his phone and handed it over for him to flip through his web browser, looking at article after article. Arthur finally added, “The Racing News has some really good pictures.” He added, almost a little too cheerfully, and Sidney glared at him.

“Defamatory! Libelous!” He was angry, but not for himself.

Then Arthur said, “Look at the pictures, Sidney. You need to see them.” Sidney clicked on the ‘slide show’ on the Racing News Site. They had the most photos it seemed. Maybe they had gotten them first. He took a deep breath after looking at Arthur again and started flipping slowly through the photos, and Arthur saw his face change. Brows furrowed with worry, and his angular jaw clenched. Then, almost a flash of, and hint at, a very slight smile, and then his face sunk.

It was all there. The side glances, helping her out of the car, smiling at her comments in the press room, laughing as they walked in from the parking lot. Every photo where she wasn’t looking back at him, he was looking at her, absorbing her, and big toothy silly grins aimed at her every time their eyes met. Taking every opportunity to bask in her brilliance. 8 days. He met her 8, well now it would be 9, days ago. He took a long slow deep breath, and handed Arthur back his phone, and swallowed hard before looking up at his brother for just a moment.

“Could it be that you might perhaps have some feelings for Charlotte?” Arthur asked quietly. He let that sink in for a minute and tried to analyze his brother’s reaction from his face. “I mean, you barely know her, but sometimes the feelings are just there. Or so I’ve been told…” Sidney looked down, but was silent. They both could hear their phones buzzing from the incessant text messages. 

Arthur continued, “If you do, Sidney, then you will have to decide what you’re going to do about it. If you don’t do anything, it could all blow over, and you can move on to the next runway model you find.” Sidney had his head down but his chin out to the side. His eyes raised up in a glare to look at Arthur. “You could also try to get to know her better, and those feelings might subside, or they might get stronger.” Sidney straightened and inhaled deeply at that one. “Or, you can close yourself off, like you _like_ to do, and then you would just lose her, forever.” Sidney’s eyes finally met Arthur’s fully. “I must warn you, if you _choose_ to do something, and then later break her heart, I _will_ have to kill you and dispose of your body somewhere in the depths of the ocean. Far from shore. And yes, I already have a plan.” Sidney eyes widened, and he hoped his brother was joking, but as he was not sure, he did not want to push his luck.

He had given him a lot to think about. “Arthur, I…” He tried to talk but choked on his words.

“I understand, Sidney. And I think your instincts to apologize, for having plastered your sorry, love-sick, besotted, face all over every gossip and racing website known to man, and in probably 14 different languages, is a good place to start.” Arthur was clear. The photos told no lies, and they both knew it. Hell, anyone who knew Sidney well enough, would know it. His head ended up buried in his hands again, woven through the hair at his temples, trying to think. “Instincts, Sidney. You are going to have to follow your instincts. They haven’t steered you wrong…. Sorry… for the pun, that was unintentional, but accurate… On many levels… now I am babbling. _Regardless_ … When was the last time you felt like this after meeting someone?... Be honest.”

Sidney looked up again at his brother, and _was_ honest, but it was practically a defeated whisper. “Never.” He said.

Arthur suddenly furrowed his brow, “Wait, was this what all that bourbon was about the other night?” He thought he was finally piecing things together. That would certainly make a lot more sense than a bad track day.

“A good part of it. Not all of it. But, probably most of it, if I am _still_ being honest. I just couldn’t think, and I couldn’t think that she would ever want to be with someone like me. I was a complete Ass to her when I met her Arthur. She’s educated, young, has her whole life in front of her.” That really was honest. More honest than he had been with himself.

“Wait. How were you an Ass when you met her, I introduced you?” Arthur felt like an entire sub-plot had happened under his nose and he had missed all of it. Sidney confessed to the whole miserable story of how he had found her in the hallway and thought she had been a stray student.

Arthur tried, but could not help the paroxysms of laughter and the tears that rolled out of his eyes at hearing what had really happened that day before he had shown up. “Oh, Sidney!” The laughter was making it almost impossible for him to speak. “That truly is the worst ‘meet-cute’ I have ever heard of!”

“A what?” Now Sidney was lost.

“A ‘meet-cute’, like when two characters who are destined to fall in love first meet each other in an unusual way. They call it that in movies. A ‘meet-cute’.” And Arthur was laughing even harder at that.

“Movies…. Should have guessed.” Sidney was now shaking his head, and honestly mortified after having to tell his brother that story. As if he needed another reason to hate himself this morning, he thought.

Arthur finally pulled himself together, and looked at his brother. Really looked at him. His brother who had held himself together with extreme focus and hard work. He’d held the team together, as well. Arthur would never deny it. This was Sidney’s team, more than anyone else’s, and he would do whatever he could to help him figure it all out. He knew it could all get very messy, let alone publicly very messy.

*buzz-buzz*

Sidney finally looked down at his phone. 32 different people had sent him messages in the past hour. He saw a recent one from Clara, he refused to look at Babington and Crowe’s messages until later, preferably _much_ later, like next year. Then decided he better check what Clara wanted.

Clara Brereton:

: Can you come in to see me before you head to the track. I’d like to help.

He flipped the phone so that Arthur could see it. “I guess we are going to see Clara then.” Arthur commented. It was probably a good idea. Clara was good with these sorts of things, draft a statement for a press release, or if they needed someone to grab the press by the balls, Clara could handle that as well.

“Clara it is,” Sidney confirmed.

“Better check in with Diana, then.” Arthur said.

“Already did. She’s the one who told me.” Sidney confirmed. Arthur thought that he should have guessed that already.

Even though Clara knew that pictures were being taken, she had no idea that they would have been anything more than to get Charlotte a little exposure. Get her some attention, so that Clara could help to build her media presence and help give her recognition for her work, and also her groundbreaking position in F1. It didn’t hurt that she was very pretty, as well as unfathomably smart.

But this, this was _not_ what she had expected. Charlotte was in her work clothes for the team, there was no doubt that she was a co-worker of Sidney’s. And yes, having Sidney with her almost guaranteed a spot on some celebrity or F1 official or fan site. ‘ _Walking to the track with new Tech Director_.’ Or something like that. Even knowing that someone was going to take their picture, knowing that they would have a news conference, she could not have anticipated what was printed. She did not see the looks that Sidney had been giving Charlotte. She wasn’t even sure if he was aware of how he was looking at her. But pictures never lie, and suddenly the story switched from, ‘Genius Woman Working at Parker’s’, to: ‘Sidney Can’t Stop Checking Out New Genius Woman Working at Parker’s.’ Add to it that Charlotte certainly had stolen some looks and admired him a little bit as well, and the story suddenly had legs.

In fact, in the 3 years she had been working with all the Parkers, traveling with them, spending time at parties with them, actual social occasions. She had never seen Sidney look at any woman like that, even his dates to galas, at fashion shows, working with models on Ad shoots, and the many Monaco yacht parties. _Never_! He barely even smiled, except to the nieces and nephews. She might have been almost as shocked as everyone else was when she saw the photos. Almost, but not quite. She had called her photog friend, Tony and gave him the tip to catch them walking in. They would be easy to spot, he knew who Sidney was. So, it was Tony who she called first thing that morning, hoping to up Charlotte’s recognition factor.

Tony was thrilled with the tip. He had made a mint selling his photos to all the different websites, and with the photos that were easily available from the afternoon press conference, suddenly it was a first page gossip and celebrity story. She wasn’t exactly furious, but she had deserved a warning, share a photo with her or something, Tony! A very heated discussion later, an apology from Tony for not giving her a head’s up, and Clara leaving him dangling as to whether she would ever trust him again. Tony groveling and begging for forgiveness, and Clara still holding out, and making him wonder. She decided he would not hear from her for at least 3 months, minimum, at least not until after Monaco, she decided. He needed to learn his lesson. He had practically stabbed her in the back after she had essentially handed him tens of thousands of pounds in revenue from those photos. No, Tony would never cross her again once she was finished with him.

She had some serious thinking and media ‘spinning’ to do. Now they were dealing with ‘overexposure,’ which could be worse than not enough. She had texted both of them, and hopefully they would be able to talk it out together before facing the public again. She was most worried about Charlotte, so young, and so new to this business and the attention that came with it. After that, what were their actual feelings for each other? It had only been a week, maybe it was a simple attraction and infatuation, but it could also be something more than that, and they had been ‘outed’ before anything had happened. She was sure of that. If something had happened, she would have seen it between them yesterday when they left the building. No, whatever this was, it was in its infancy.

Then she had to decide whether to tell them about Tony, and how it really wasn’t supposed to go the way it went. She really thought about that one, for a very long time. She had no trouble telling them the truth, in fact she would have preferred it. All the cards on the table, and then move forward. But then she thought about them. How would they react? OR, how would their reaction, and knowing, affect the choices they made. It would be easy to blame everything on Clara, and then they would never confront the actual images in the pictures. They would dismiss them, and never talk about if there were feelings there or not, and she did not want to step on that. Clara would have been their shield for them to hide behind, which would only lead to many more issues and miscommunications later. She was sure of it. Until they chose, and until she could get the story under control, telling them about Tony would have to wait. Her own conscience could not come first here.

There were several ways to handle it, but whichever way they decided to take it, would depend entirely on Sidney and Charlotte. It was their lives that were involved, and Clara knew she would have to follow wherever they led. She could only help, defend, and encourage them in whichever form they chose.

Arthur was the first one to open Clara’s door, followed by Sidney with his head down. He barely glanced up at Clara. She tried to give him a calm and sympathetic grin, but it ended up going to Arthur, since Sidney was now incapable of eye contact, it seemed.

“Charlotte is on her way.” She informed them, and that snapped his head up in a hurry.

“She’s coming here, now?” He asked, in a panic.

“Yes, Sidney. This concerns both of you, and you will have to agree on how we are to handle this.” Did he really think she would not be here? She thought. Then the sympathetic smile came back, as she realized why he was so agitated. “Sidney, I know this is going to be difficult. That is why I am here, and Arthur is here, and I suppose Michael will be here as well.”

His head fell back, looking at the ceiling, taking deep breaths, ran his hand over his face, trying to figure out what he was going to say. Was Michael going to punch him? Sidney couldn’t very well strike him back. He would have to take whatever he gave him. Then he thought with some terror, I hope to god that her other brother isn’t already on his way here to tear my arms out of my sockets, and then brought his hands up to his face to try and rub the possibilities out of his mind.

Then there was a knock at the door. Clara called out for them to come in. The latch opened and the door slowly opened. Charlotte was the first to step in but like she was trying to avoid landmines around her. Her eyes were still a little red and puffy, her hair hung in ringlets that were still a little damp from the long hot shower she had taken before they left. Sidney stood up from his chair as soon as she walked in the room. It was impossible for them not to look at each other. He felt so badly about what he could only imagine she was feeling. He didn’t even think about his brother or Clara, and he didn’t even register that Michael had walked in the door behind her. He swallowed hard, looking at her hurt face, and he was relieved that she was also looking at him.

“I’m so sorry, Charlotte.” His voice almost broke, and he was hardly speaking above a whisper. Plus, using ‘Dr. Heywood’ to address her somehow seemed inappropriate after this morning, and speaking her first name suddenly made him feel like he was a teenager again. His eyes were searching her face, worried she might start crying. “Really, I am so sorry. They would not have printed any of that if it wasn’t for me.”

She looked down to the chairs in front of Clara’s desk and nodded very slightly. Her response was even more quiet, “Thank you.” And then she turned her head to look at Clara. Clara motioned for them to sit in the 2 empty chairs, but Michael stayed standing further back in the corner near the door with his arms crossed. Observing. Everyone was feeling awkward, as Charlotte then Sidney took their seats.

Clara had a lot to go through with them, first thanking them for coming in, and letting them know that she was going to do everything possible to help weather this storm. Clara went over how they could issue a press release, and how she would also do a statement and also answer questions from the press this afternoon at the track. She said she would take all of it on, but there were some things they needed to discuss. She looked at Arthur and then Michael, and asked them if she could have some time alone with Charlotte and Sidney. They were both all too happy to leave the room and let her handle whatever was coming.

“Before we get started, I will need the two of you to decide how you want us to handle this. There are several options. The first, is complete denial of any relationship of any kind outside of work, you are only co-workers who ride-shared in the morning after a meeting at headquarters, full-stop” She began.

“Which is exactly what happened!” Charlotte was earnestly distressed. She did not want them to think she had some kind of school-girl, groupie crush on Sidney.

“Sidney?” Clara asked as her eyebrows raised a little. His head was down.

“For the most part, yes.” Then he looked over at Charlotte, “But that’s not everything.” And he was now fully aware of every nuance of her hair, and how it pooled around the top of her shoulders when it was still wet, and how she looked when she was distressed, and how much he wanted to tell her more.

Charlotte turned her head and looked up at him. Trying, hoping to figure out what he had meant by that. The wrinkle between her brow as it furrowed made itself known as she looked into his face. The ‘fast lap’ as it were, they had done to get to the track, that’s what he was referring to. Their conversations in the car. What did he mean by that? Her head was spinning.

Clara thought it might be wise to jump in and continue. “The second course we can take: You are in a new/possible relationship that you don’t want to label, or put any restrictions on it. Very modern, may or may not be serious, just taking things one day at a time, etc. etc.”

She looked at them, and neither of them seemed to like that option.

“The third, is similar. You’ve only just met each other. You’re becoming friends and enjoy getting to know one another. You enjoy spending time together, and the families are getting along well, and it’s new and fun, and no one is rushing into anything.” She had a feeling that _that_ was a lot closer to where they were, or where they wanted to be.

“The last option I don’t think is what you are looking for, but I’ll put it on the table.” They both visibly stiffened and took breaths to calm themselves. Clara noticed that they really were a lot alike, just different. “Full-blown intense love affair, a la Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston. Have your photographs taken everywhere, with each other’s families, walking on the beach, quick trip to Rome, kissing in public, the works. And then it fizzles out after a couple months and you both move on… However, you will not be able to hide, and the interest will be intense with you both working together. Which also means that it won’t really fizzle out with the press.” Their eyes had gotten large listening to that one, and she had definitely hit it on the mark that it wasn’t the route they wanted to take.

“I suppose there is a 5th option …. Run off to Gretna Green and elope, after today.” They both looked terrified at that. ‘Sometimes you need to know what you don’t want to know what you do want,’ She thought.

“Now, I am happy to do any of the above, and with any adjustments you want to make. I think I should let the two of you discuss this privately.” She gave them each a sympathetic smile and stood to leave her office. She walked into the hallway where Arthur and Michael were waiting. Each of them leaning against the walls, opposite from each other, and not speaking. “They’re talking.” She told them.

In Clara’s office, there wasn’t a lot of talking going on. Neither one of them knew where to start. Neither wanted to ask the questions they really wanted to ask. An impasse. Sidney decided that he needed to be the gentleman, he needed to start. He picked up and turned his chair. Pointing his knees toward her, so that he was now facing her completely, and leaned forward. He really wanted to reach for her hand, but thought better of it. “Charlotte?” He just wanted her to look at him. She finally raised her head and looked at him. ‘What did Arthur say? Instincts, follow my instincts.’ He took another deep breath.

“Charlotte. You know I’ve never called you that before today.” He said, and gave her a small half smile. And her large eyes blinked up at him, and her brow relaxed just a little. “It is a lovely name.” He was hesitating, and he knew it. He cleared his throat, “Umm, I really am truly, very sorry. You deserve so much more than what those stupid websites said.” He paused, hoping to let her think. “I think… I would like to know what you thought about what Clara said. Honestly…. I feel like I could do whatever it is that you wanted to do.”

That surprised her. Really surprised her, and broke her out of her stunned silence. “So…. If I said I wanted to go to Gretna Green… you would say…. yes?” She was very controlled when she asked him, skeptically, her brow pinched again and her eyes were teasing a little, questioning how serious he was. Because really, that was too much to offer for some embarrassing photos in the press.

He let out a relieved single laugh. “I suppose I might want to meet your parents first.” He was very relieved that she also let out a single laugh in return to his answer. But at least they were talking again.

“I’m not sure Sidney.” That was the first time she had used his name to his face, and wondered if he knew that as well. He smiled a little wider, so maybe he did.

‘Instincts, Sidney, instincts, just talk to her.’ He took another deep inhale and tried to keep his stomach in place. She said she wasn’t sure, which meant there were options on the table, and suddenly he became hopeful. “I’m trying to remember which options were which.” He said. “I definitely do _not_ want to be the Tom Hiddleston of this story.” He gave his half smile to her, and she gave her soft laugh at his comment.

“Nor do I want to be Taylor Swift. I don’t have the energy to go through that many men…” She said jokingly. And now she was smiling with a small laugh at him.

“Good… “ he nodded.

What he wanted to say, and maybe what he should have said, was, ‘Because I don’t want you to go through any more men,’ because that was exactly how he felt. But his instincts told him it was too much. Too obvious, he thought. But he refused to look away from her, as he thought of what to do and say next. Her eyes were down, and he could see how uncomfortable this all was for her.

“Well, that eliminates two options…” He said, trying to remain calm. She nodded.

“Charlotte, what is it that you want.” He dipped his head to the side, trying to catch her eyes, trying to see what she was thinking, was feeling.

She pulled her head back to look up to avoid him and to close her eyes and breathe deeply. “I don’t know that what I want matters, I’m not sure what I want. I know I don’t want to be your enemy.”

“Nor do I!” He interrupted her

“I don’t want to have to try and avoid you, just to keep journalists away, that doesn’t make any sense. We have too much to do.” Her eyes were now looking around the room, moving, thinking.

“Yes, of course.” He said. She was taking a very professional approach and he started to think that maybe he was in this on his own. Disappointment was starting to show on his face when she finally looked at him.

“But… I had fun yesterday.” She said smiling. She at least had to tell him that. It was true. “Actually, having a conversation with you.” She said lightly.

His eyes raised a little. “You did?” He asked. She gave him that small smile and nodded. He got his nerve up to respond with his own small smile. “I did too.” Then they were both awkwardly quiet, and he noticed she was chewing on her plump bottom lip. 

He finally spoke, “Charlotte, I want to know you better. I would like to be your friend, to spend time with you, get to know you. I... I also don’t want to push you into anything you don’t want. But I don’t want to have to hide in shadows to spend time with you. I couldn't do that.” Her eyes flicked up to meet his as he said that, and she finally released her lip, that was now red from all her tension. “So, what do you think, is that what you want?” He asked softly, hoping she would give him the answer that he wanted in return. 

She finally found some words, speaking softly. “I would like to be your friend too, Sidney.” She smiled a little bigger this time, and he reveled inside at the sound of his name coming her mouth.

His smile returned, with a small relieved breath. He nodded, “Good, good.” He looked at her. “Now, I supposed we need to tell Clara, and get her help?” She was still smiling as she watched him react, and nodded.

“Strange, to have to make some kind of announcement about getting to know each other better.” She remarked softly.

“Yes,” he smiled. “It is strange.” But he was still looking at her and could not look away now that she had given him permission to try and get closer to her. He finally added, “I suppose we need to get Clara now, and tell her ‘option three’?” Looking for confirmation…. She nodded, keeping her eyes on him as well.

“But first,” he said. “Can I please get your phone number?” The cheeky glint in his eyes was back from the day before, and she finally laughed as she nodded and said, “Yes.”


	16. Reaction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your lovely comments and kudos! You have no idea how much they have meant to me, especially after such a challenging chapter to write. It is all very much loved and appreciated. ❤️ I wanted to respond to all of them, but I decided that to keep writing would be a better way to show my thanks, last night.
> 
> *Some talk of cancer treatments towards the end.* ❤️
> 
> We have a lot of characters to catch up with now, and another chapter will be up soon, as our love-birds and their families deal with the aftermath.😊

Chapter 16

If they had known that the conversation in Clara’s office would be the easiest part of their day, they probably would not have been so nervous to have it in the first place. Everything after that felt like free climbing up the side of a mountain. No ropes, no nets, and jagged rocks below, waiting for them to let go at the wrong time. Everything required balance and a united front just to get through the day.

Clara devised a strategy on how to time things throughout the morning, so that things were handled as delicately as possible, and with military precision:

  * Create statement for the press to be released before they left for the track.
  * Arthur would drive Sidney.
  * Michael would drive Charlotte and also Clara, to run interference with reporters and photographers if necessary.
  * Arthur would address the mechanics and engineers in the garage and paddock. Clarifying that nothing that was printed was accurate, that things were as they had been yesterday, we all ride-share with our teammates to the track, everyone was still getting to know each other, also remind them Charlotte was a senior member of staff, and deserved privacy, and the last thing the team wanted was an agitated driver on the track.
  * Michael would then join him after they arrived and repeat everything Arthur said to all Heywood employees, and anyone else who needed to hear it from him, as a Heywood family insider, as well.
  * Clara would go with Charlotte to the Control Center to wait out any discussions in the Garage. Plus, to give Charlotte time to call her parents, siblings and friends in relative privacy.
  * Clara would then head to the press room for a scheduled conference, after making sure Charlotte was settled.
  * Sidney would go through his usual, typical routine with Diana. No variations.



Everything seemed to be planned, coordinated, timed, and fool-proof. It was just one day more, and by the time they were all in Melbourne a month from now, things would probably die down. They hoped.

Arthur, with his typical wit and speaking skills, had gotten the garage crew and engineers to laugh about what had happened as well as making them aware that the two involved in the story needed a little more space today. It had been an “upsetting morning for everyone,” as he had put it. By the time Michael had arrived, most of the awkwardness and doubts in the pit garage had been dispelled, and everyone was following directions on the cars from Arthur.

There was one variable, one interaction they had not anticipated, or planned for, and Michael really didn’t catch it when it happened.

“Michael?” He turned around to see his friend, and driver, James. He noticed he looked on edge, maybe upset.

He pulled James over to the storage area behind the team’s wall panels so that they could talk. “James, what is it?” Michael, who was usually good at understanding people in general, somehow had missed that James had not just developed feelings for Charlotte, but by this point had been waiting to act on them. Waiting to make any of those feelings known to her, and he had felt that way for 4 months now. 4 long torturous months.

“Is it true? Tell me the truth, I need to know.” James looked very highly strung as he said this. His usual boyish ease that he wore so naturally was nowhere to be seen.

“You mean Charlotte and Sidney?” Michael asked, surprised at James' obvious concern. James had his lips pressed together, and nodded. Michael continued, “Well, I mean, not really. They’ve actually barely spoken before yesterday, from what Charlotte told me. But, between you and me, I do think that there are some sparks there. But who knows, only time will tell.” And Michael gave his friend a smile at the thought of his sister finding some happiness outside her work. “But you shouldn’t worry. Charlotte is always very cautious, she won’t rush in to anything. And she certainly would not favor his car over yours, if you’re worried about that. She knows I wouldn’t stand for it.” Michael laughed a bit and slapped him on the shoulder, meaning the last part as more of a joke, but also to ease what were obviously concerns on his part. He would not be thinking that James had any other worries other than his placement on the team, or maybe some protectiveness for Charlotte after all the press exposure.

“Yeah… right,” James nodded, and managed to stretched his tightly pressed lips into a grin, but that was all he could manage. He decided to just go along with what Michael thought, and not reveal anymore.

“You good?” Michael asked, checking on his driver.

James inhaled and nodded, as he tried to shake away how jealous and hurt, he was feeling right then, “Oh, yeah. All good.”

“OK, lets go over some of the setup, Charlotte and Arthur had some ideas for your car after yesterday’s last session.” Michael was ready to get to work, and put the chaos of this morning behind him. He knew there would still be a lot of ‘clean-up’ to do with family and friends after today’s work was over.

“Sure, right.” He answered, nodding again, and hoped that he would be able to concentrate on what they would be doing today. And to hide his frustration and what he now assumed were dashed hopes.

***

“I am your closest sibling, Sidney, that is unless I have been replaced by Arthur?” Diana was feeling a little out of the loop after Sidney had filled her in on the events that had happened after the photos had come out in the press.

“I have seen Arthur a lot lately, but he could never replace you, Diana. I do hope you know that. And, of course Arthur was involved today, he works with Charlotte, and they have grown very comfortable with one another. He all but threatened my life if I did anything to hurt Charlotte. I think he would disown me if he could adopt Charlotte instead.” He was trying to ease the tension a little, but instead, had increased his adrenaline and dopamine levels just by saying Charlotte’s name three times in the past 20 seconds. He was smiling like a ‘besotted fool’, he was pretty sure that’s what Arthur had called him, or close to it. But he didn’t care.

“Well, I _am_ very happy to see that _you_ are happy after all those photos and stories this morning. It’s been a long time since you have had so much press. What was that model’s name who was stalking you and broke into your house? Oh yes, Lucia. She _was_ very pretty, but clearly well off her rocker.” She added with her eyebrows raised.

Sidney chuckled. With possibilities in front of him with Charlotte, he could suddenly put all those other experiences behind him. He felt lighter, and just, happy. He was going to have to get some control on his constant grinning, or he would give himself away entirely. A knock at the door seemed to put him back on the defensive, and Diana opened it to see Babington, standing there in the doorway with his phone held up in his hand.

“Were you, at any time, going to answer even ONE of my text messages? I already know that Arthur drove you, so you had 2 _full hours_ in the car just getting here.” He looked peeved, but his eyes had a twinkle. It was difficult for George to stay angry for long. Sidney had looked down toward his feet, but was wearing a full smile when his face came up to see his friend. “Oh lord! It’s worse than I thought. How is that even possible Sidney?! You barely know her! You’ve barely talked to her from what I’ve seen.” Sidney just shrugged and pulled his face together to remove any evidence of the butterflies he was feeling, just thinking of her.

“We are... just friends, Babers. There’s no need to rush things.” Sidney replied calmly, but Sidney did have to clench his jaw a little to keep from smiling again.

“Friends… friends with the hope of a lot more, I gather, from the look on your face in those photos. Crowe keeps asking me when the wedding date is, and if it’s too early to start planning your Stag-do.” George’s brows were raised. He was genuinely concerned, a little. “You ARE aware that we all work together, yes?”

“And on that note, I shall leave you with your Race Engineer, Sidney. Might not be a conversation your sister should, or would want to hear.” She smiled at him and patted him on his shoulder before saying, “Oh, Otis said he couldn’t make it in today for your usual work. Didn’t say why.” She then excused herself as she moved past Babington who was still barely through the doorway.

“Come in George,” he said calmly, and motioned for him to sit on the small sofa in his driver’s room. He then sat on an office chair he pulled out from his small built in desk, to sit in front of him so they could talk. He decided to try and put out this fire while he could still try to. “Believe me, George, I am just as surprised as you are. And we really are just trying to be friends, at this point.”

“‘At this point,’ indeed. That sounds like a place card for something else you’re planning. And my guess is that you are not planning on playing the long game, you never have. What happens when this falls apart? Do you have any idea what you are doing? I’m actually surprised you didn’t come to me with this.”

“I didn’t know what ‘ _this_ ’ was, Babers. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. It’s not something I can control!” He looked a little harried, as he ran his hand through his hair, thinking of all the moments he had needed to pull himself together in front of Charlotte from the moment he met her, or even just thinking about her in the past 9 days. He knew it was ridiculous, but he had no other explanation for it.

“The very cool and calm Sidney Parker, not being able to control something… Now I _am_ concerned.” But George had given him a grin letting him know it was teasing at this point. “She is awfully young, Sidney.”

“She is 23, so yes, young, but not a typical woman in her early 20’s. You’ve worked with her, you know that. But, it is one of the reasons why this will be very slow moving. I hope. That, _and_ the thought of her brothers or Arthur coming to kill me if I fuck it up. A lot easier to replace a driver than a gifted Aerodynamicist.” He said with some humor, but also some actual concern.

“Arthur? Really? You think so?” He asked.

“If I go missing, Babers, Arthur is probably the mastermind behind it.” Sidney grinned a bit at the thought. But it was a threat, and he did not want to find out if Arthur had meant it or not. “My brother is… a very unexpected man,” he added.

“Something to keep in mind… Now, are you going to be able to focus today? I don’t need you crashing into any walls with your brand-new construction that we are desperately needing to _test_ before next month. _Especially_ since we need to give Crowe some time in it this afternoon as well.” He sounded like the Parker’s old nanny when he said it, and Sidney knew that George’s patience for his change in mood was at its end.

He furrowed his brow a bit, lowered his voice, and looked him in the eye before answering, “Of course, George. Always ready.” If he could drive with Charlotte _in_ his car yesterday, he could certainly drive by himself on the track, today.

***

As soon as Arthur had finished with the setup instructions, he texted Babington to get started on checking in with Sidney and supervising his car. Michael had already pulled James to start work. He was probably feeling like Arthur, a little concerned with how the day would go, but also anxious to just get on with it. He finally had a moment to escape to the empty pit wall to answer all of Tom’s voice mails in relative quiet. He could try texting, but Tom’s texting skills were painfully slow, and Arthur did not have the patience for it this morning.

“Arthur! Thank goodness you called! I can’t get in touch with Sidney, or Diana, or Babington. What is going on, how did this happen, how do we manage this?!” He was obviously agitated, and Arthur suddenly realized that Clara did not include him in the “fix-it” meeting this morning, and wondered if Tom’s over-reactions to almost everything were the reason why. He also suddenly realized that he, Arthur, had been the only Parker brother who bothered to show up to Sidney’s home this morning. He was also reminded of how he had, more recently, been left to pick up the slack from Tom’s lack of clarity or attention to his work.

“Do not worry Tom, Clara is on top of it. She’s practically a therapist… I do hope we are paying her enough.” Arthur had been impressed with how she had managed to put everything to rights between Sidney and Charlotte, and in an efficient manner.

“Oh yes, yes. Clara is… quite the negotiator, and I daresay, worth every penny…But what happened? Is there something going on between them? Sidney could not be that careless, could he? Does he understand how delicate this entire business is with the Heywoods? I am quite concerned Arthur!” Tom finally paused to catch his breath.

Taking a deep breath himself, Arthur tried his best to placate and calm his eldest sibling. “Tom, everything is fine. No, Sidney understands that this is a delicate business. And if you will read our press release, which you have been copied on in your _email_ , you would understand that they are friends and are getting to know one another. Just because they are both single, attractive people, does not mean that they are behaving like they are on **_Love Island_**! And when have you known Sidney to act like a fool in the past 8 years?”

“Should I come to the track, do I need to speak to the team, talk to Sidney about his responsibilities to the team, to the _family_? He hasn’t answered any of my calls!” Tom’s mind was racing, but he also seemed to miss the fact that everything had been managed without him.

“Believe me Tom, Sidney has _always_ been aware of his responsibilities! I am shocked you would even insinuate that he wouldn’t. I, for one, would like to see our brother actually be happy in his life, for once. I have spoken with him, and he has been clear that his intentions are to simply get to know her. He knows this is a business arrangement with her family, and will be reaching out to her parents soon to apologize for the spectacle in the news. We are still working out how to manage that. But _RIGHT NOW_ , I am watching as our team is preparing the cars for our _LAST_ day of testing! Do you understand that Tom?”

Tom was taken aback, and uncharacteristically silent for a few moments. “Of course, Arthur, I understand how important today is.”

“Good, now if you will please allow me to get back to work, Sidney or I will call you later with any updates. Will that work for you?” Arthur was done, he had to move on past Tom’s uncontrolled, frantic, energy before it changed his own focus for the day.

“Yes, yes. Of course. All in good time. I’ll speak with one of you later, then.” And Tom’s end of the connection was clicked off.

“Insufferable…” Arthur muttered, and returned to the garage in the hopes of speeding things up to make up for their lost time this morning.

***

Clara had left Charlotte in the Control Center, so that she could have some privacy in her office to make much-needed calls to her family and friends, and was now 5 minutes into her press conference, attempting to work her magic.

“Jeremy, I’m not sure if you understand how the process works. Perhaps you would, if you were aware of _how_ people actually _make_ friends.” Half the press room laughed at her sarcasm, as Jeremy was not the most popular journalist in the room. The bulbs were really flashing and the cameras rolling. “If they were doing anything more than that, if they had something to hide, would they be so stupid as to parade themselves in front of photographers?” Again, some laughter at Jeremy’s expense.

“Why are they trying to be ‘ _friends’_ , as you call it? What’s the point?” another reporter asked.

“The point, is that these are two _family_ run teams. This is not your typical corporate environment. They are, and we all are, attempting to build a foundation of trust and friendship to encourage healthy working relationships.” She paused then gave a light laugh. “We are just in the beginning of this season, ladies and gentlemen. The Heywoods have been with Parker’s for _only_ 9 days. How can the team work together and be successful if friendships are not made?” Some murmurs in the crowd told her that she had made them think, and doubt their earlier assumptions. They were starting to crack.

“Clara, we are well aware of Sidney Parker’s reputation with young, beautiful women. Why should we think this situation is any different?” That one quieted the room except for some flashbulbs, waiting for her answer.

Clara smiled and looked down before looking back up at them for her answer. “It’s quite simple, really,” she said calmly. “You are not familiar with _Dr. Heywood’_ s reputation. Not every young beautiful woman is motivated by the same things. She has worked incredibly hard to get where she is, she has more education than any of you sitting out there, or myself up here. She, and her abilities, should not be underestimated. And _ **yes**_ , she **_does_** have her PHD from MIT, and any insinuation or claim otherwise will be met with swift litigation.” Her voice was getting sterner now. “We do not take the disparagement of our employees, our _teammates_ , lightly. That has always been what Parker Racing has prided itself on for 2 generations, it’s collaborative atmosphere of team work.” She looked over them as they quieted. “Now, I think we are done here for today, see you all in Melbourne.” She gave a small grin, but also flashed a glare at the necessary reporters and filth-mongers among the group before she left the room.

She hoped that was enough. She was sure that her phone would still be blowing up with emails and texts requesting more statements or sound bites for days to come, but hopefully another ‘scandal’ would erupt somewhere else and this would be quickly forgotten.

***

Charlotte took another long deep breath before she finally pressed the contact from her ‘favorites’ list on her phone screen that said, “Mum.”

“Charlotte dear, how are you? We spoke with Michael earlier, but I am glad that you called.” Caroline Heywood's soothing, kind voice answered the phone. She had been anxious to speak with her eldest daughter after the growing number of news outlets that had shared the story.

“I seem to be fine,” she answered, “I really just want to get through this last day of testing so that I can get away from the track and the reporters here.”

“Well, that wasn’t exactly what I was talking about… This… Sidney Parker, he seems to be a... very worldly man, and older than you... I’m sure that he can be quite… enigmatic.” She approached it calmly, and she might also have had a slight grin that her daughter couldn’t see. But ultimately, Mrs. Heywood’s eyes expressed her concern. She had sent her daughter to college when she was 15, she had watched her leave for Boston when she was just 20, and each of those times had probably taken a couple of years off her life from her worries.

Charlotte was trying to piece together an answer, and started with what Clara had said in their joint statement once she couldn’t come up with anything better. “Mama, Sidney and I have only just met, and like Michael, I am trying to make friends here. I have to work with them very closely in the next year, and it wouldn’t make sense for me to not understand the needs of my lead driver in his car.” As soon as she had said ‘needs’ and ‘his car,’ she regretted it, thinking about yesterday's drive. But also, that it could be mistaken for something else, and hoped her mother would not catch it.

“I suppose I should be relieved that you are attending to his ‘needs’ in regards to his car, and not something else…?” It wasn’t cruel or malicious, just evidence that her mother was always several steps ahead. The product of raising 8 children, Charlotte assumed.

“Mama! You know that I am not a child. You and Papa made this agreement with Parker’s and I am here because of it! I have certainly spent much more time with Arthur Parker instead of Si-idney Parker.” Her voice caught a little on ‘Sidney,’ and she knew her mother would not have missed that. She leaned her head forward and pressed her palm onto her forehead to try and gather herself, as her elbow rested on the desktop. “I promise you that nothing has happened. There has not even been time to consider anything like that.”

“Lottie, darling. I know, that with your father finishing his radiation treatments, and getting ready to start chemo-therapy, and you and Michael being gone and working through all of this, must be extremely difficult for you.” Charlotte suddenly found that there were pools of tears forming in her lower eyelids, and tried to blink them away before they fell. “And you have no idea how much Papa and I wish we could be there with you to support you like we had hoped to. I just don’t want you to rush in to anything when you are under so much stress. You have barely called us since you started last week, and I don’t want you to feel like you need to protect us from what your concerns are. This is still a Heywood business, it’s just partnering with someone else right now, and who knows how it will all turn out in the end.”

“Yes, Mama. No, I think I know what you mean. I promise to do better keeping in touch, and call more often… And _when_ do I rush into _anything_?!” She asked indignantly.

“Well, let’s see, learning to read, school, taking apart computers _and_ hand-held devices, speaking French, redesigning Alison’s Kart from top to bottom 10 years ago which included asking us if we could get a supply of rubber so that you could try to make the tyres yourself, … Is that enough or should I go on?” Her mother was definitely winding her up, and she knew she had lost that particular point.

She took a deep breath. “I need you to trust me Mama. In my personal life as well as in my work. I am certainly not perfect, but I feel as though we have fallen amongst friends here, with the Parkers. I have never had as good of a working relationship with anyone as I have had with Arthur Parker. I feel as though he will be as close to me as my own brothers are, eventually. I promise you, not everything here is about Sidney.”

“OK. I will work on trusting your judgement in your personal life. The other two men you were close to were, well, not really up to your standard I’m afraid.” She mused thinking about the older graduate student she had dated at Cambridge when she was just 18, and the also-young Doctorate researcher she had met in Boston.

“Mama!!” Charlotte was horrified to be having this conversation.

“They were both _CLEARLY_ intimidated by you, Charlotte, and neither of them came _close_ to your spirited energy. You will not be happy my dear if you are not challenged. That is how you have always been. You will need someone who will know when to pull you back, and when to let you run.”

“I _would_ appreciate it, Mama, if you would not compare me with one of your horses.” She said flatly, annoyed with how accurately her mother had analyzed her as well as her ex-boyfriends. Maybe she was like one of her mother’s horses, maybe that’s why her mother always seemed to know her so well.

“I’m sorry, I never meant to offend. I’ve always said horses are smarter than people, and you my dear Lottie are the smartest person I will _ever_ know. Of that I am sure.” She was clearly sincere, and Charlotte knew that it really was a compliment, if that comparison came from her mother.

She sighed, “I know Mama. It’s just I have so much to do here, its our last day at the track, and all of these photos have been such a distraction. I’m just trying to get my head straight so that I can work later.”

“Yes, the photos…”

“ _What_ , Mother?” She was annoyed and done, and ready to get her next call over with as well.

“Just that… well, I’ve never met him, so what do I really know about it? It just seems… that he is quite taken, with you.” She paused waiting for Charlotte to complain about her interference, or to deny it completely, but that never came.

Instead she was calm, she was steady. “It was an awkward start. Between us, that is. If we can be friends now, that can only be a good thing. If anything changes from that, I don’t know. It’s too early to tell. But… I will say, that he appears to want to make an effort.” She revealed.

“And you are willing to let him try.” She finished Charlotte’s thought.

“Yes, Mama. I am.”


	17. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all your lovely, kind, and angst-filled comments! They really do make my day.

Chapter 17

Friends

By the time Charlotte had reached the pit garage. She had called and talked to her Aunt Augusta, and left a brief voice mail and a text message for Esther, hoping that she would finally be able to speak to her best friend some time later that night. She did notice a few smiles, and sympathetic looks from the mechanics, but they were mostly working very hard to make up for the shortened work time after the morning’s events. She did seek out William, Daniel and Jon, and as Michael had expected, they were nothing but supportive, and all in their own way, let her know that her life decisions were her own to make, whatever they might be.

She had tried to talk with James about his car and the changes she and Arthur had asked to test for the day, but he was busy with his mechanics each time she tried to get his attention. She thought he might be a little put off by the unwanted publicity, since they were all new to this sort of thing, and decided to give him some space. Although she did try two more times before they got the cars ready for the engine start up procedures, and neither of those attempts worked either. Sidney was going first, and they were going to alternate turns on the track to focus on one car and its data at a time. Sidney had been in and out of the garage, and she hadn’t seen him since they had gotten in separate cars to head to the track that morning. She realized that she already missed him. ‘Ridiculous,’ she thought, shaking her head.

She decided she need to check her phone for any more messages that needed responding to today rather than tomorrow. Standing in the back of the garage she could also watch how the setup and assembly procedures were going while she sifted through the correspondence and texts she had received since this morning. She had been typing up an email to one of her professors at Cambridge who had befriended her during her summer terms spent learning in the Computer Sciences department. As she focused on the small screen, she felt someone over her shoulder, and as quickly as she had noticed that, a small squeeze of her left upper arm, before she looked up and saw that Sidney had just passed her in his racing suit, half zipped, and his under-layer shirt on top. But he never turned back. She felt her stomach flutter, and was sure that her cheeks were flushed. He had moved so quickly, deftly, and without hesitation, that she was sure that no one had seen it. It made her feel… _alive_. His profile was now facing her as she looked out into the garage, and as she stole some glances his way when she looked up from her phone, their eyes finally met, and she saw the very small curl on the side of his mouth, and the almost undetectable wink he gave her from his eye, that only she could see from that vantage point. She grabbed the left half of her lower lip between her teeth to keep from smiling, and she could feel that her skin on her chest, peeking out above her button up shirt, blushed in what she was sure was a crimson red.

She took a few minutes to compose herself, and to hopefully seek out another glance, but the garage was too busy now, they were getting Sidney's car ready to go first, and she wanted to pay attention to her work. She grabbed her head set and laptop from the engineer’s island, and walked straight to the pit wall. Michael was there, and smiled at her as she sat down. She had always been grateful for her family, but she might not have been as grateful as she felt right now. Arthur joined them, and he smiled as he looked at her. It had been a very difficult morning, but at least here, out on the pit wall between Arthur and Michael, she felt safe.

***

“I saw that.” Babington said under his breath as he approached Sidney.

“You saw nothing.” Sidney responded confidently with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smirk on his face.

“OK, I might not have seen _what_ you did, but I did see our Technical Director practically flee the garage, and her complexion was close to that of a ripe tomato.” George countered.

Sidney allowed himself have another small half grin at that comment before he looked up to see her sitting at the pit wall, working. He straightened his face before speaking, “I do not know what it is you speak of, Lord George.”

“Don’t pull that nonsense with me, Sidney, I’ve known you too long, and I _will_ be watching your back, even if you refuse to.”

Sidney clapped his hand on Babington’s shoulder and smiled at him. “I know, Babers, I am counting on it.”

“Oh, you _really_ are insufferable, aren’t you? Do you have any level of self-control, or am I going to have to baby-sit you through this? I might just go warn her now to run for the hills, and not to look back at your smirking face!” He was trying to be mad at him, but they rarely ever got mad at one another, it was essentially impossible. Sidney was like the brother he never had, and he was Sidney’s truest friend who had been through everything with him. It was one of the reasons they worked so well together. Sidney in the car, and George calmly communicating to him on the radio. Sidney could trust him, and always knew that what he said was for the best, for him, and for the team strategy.

“Will you forgive me if I tell you that I promise to try?” Sidney asked. The words sounded good but George knew better.

“No.” Babers responded decidedly. “Clearly, you cannot be trusted, and must be supervised.” At this, Sidney realized that George was _not_ joking.

His brow pinched. “What on earth do you mean Babington?” His voice was lower, and questioning what his friend was thinking.

“It means, that I will apparently have to be your ‘third-wheel’, if and when you decide to take Dr. Heywood out into public, or even a date for dinner at your home.” He was unflinching.

“You cannot be serious?!” Sidney was not happy about this turn of events.

“Since you seem incapable of being serious in this matter Sidney, someone else _must_.” And there, suddenly, was the “Lord” in Lord George.

“You sound like your father.” Sidney grumbled.

“Clearly you are behaving like a teenager, and need one.” George responded swiftly.

Sidney turned to his friend with his mouth slightly agape. He looked over George’s shoulder to the Pit Wall and saw her again. It quickly turned to a lovesick, but small, grin and when he looked back at George’s raised eyebrow and determined expression, he knew he was being ‘handled.’ His face straightened before he said, “Maybe you’re right. I did promise to move slowly.”

George inhaled a nice long breath. “I will hold you to that Sidney, and if you don’t cooperate, the first call I will make will be to Arthur.” Sidney’s eyes grew wide and his face looked betrayed. Babington had no idea what Arthur had said to him, but it clearly was working. 

“OK! No need to go _Peaky Blinders_ on me Babington! I will follow your rigid, archaic instructions.” He meant it, regardless of how miserable it currently made him. He gave one last dig while he still could. “I hardly had you pegged with a spinster chaperone mentality. When did you get like this?”

“When you decided to fall for our Chief Technical Director that we _all_ have to work with, and would like to keep around for _much_ longer than your usual attention span allows.” Sidney squared his shoulders towards George after that, and they stared at each other for a moment. “I am _not_ saying that you are not _capable_ of making this work. I am just reminding you that your usual playbook needs to be altered _in order_ to make this work.” Sidney looked at him contemplating what he was saying and knew he was making sense. Plus, George would only tell him this if he thought Sidney needed to hear it.

“Alright, I will listen to your advice.” Sidney finally conceded. Babington did have a point. There was a definite line between the arts of courtship and seduction, and he was really only familiar with the latter.

“Good, now might we perhaps be able to talk about WORK, while we also happen to _be_ at _work_?” And the subject was officially changed.

***

Sidney’s car was headed out first, in order to make time for an extra run for Crowe in the afternoon. Many variations and settings with the brakes, a tyre change, changes made to the angle of the wheels (camber), and data was taken with as many combinations as possible in the number of laps allowed. It had been a good session. No real chance to open up and push the car as he would have liked and hoped to try, but some of that was being saved for Robert’s session.

James’ first session was much like Sidney’s, just with different settings, different tyres, different wheel angles and positions. He would get another run before Crowe’s this afternoon. Everything seemed to be going well, no obvious awkwardness and some of the key players were finally starting to relax from the pressure cooker they had been in during the morning. A break for lunch meant that they all had some time to breathe. Groups had broken up in the hospitality suite, and in some of the offices in the Control Center. Sidney had chosen to eat in his driver’s room with Babington.

As they were almost finished, a quick knock and a turn of the handle opened his door without hesitation. Crowe stuck his head in the gap, and his devilish smile grew to heretofore unknown proportions.

“And where is the elusive, Mrs. Parker, Sidney? Not having lunch with you, I see.” His rakish twinkle was unmistakable.

“Really Crowe, have you no sense of propriety?” Babington demanded. Crowe was already laughing as George pulled him in the room and closed the door behind them.

In an imitation of Babington’s comment, “‘Really’ Babers, have you no sense of humor?” Crowe responded, and they were suddenly back on the Karting circuit, eating take away pizza in their hotel room. Sidney was watching his friends with amusement, but also felt that Crowe could have easily embarrassed them or Charlotte if the wrong person had heard.

“I see your conflicted reaction, Parker, no need to worry, no one else was within ear-shot. The _last_ thing we want is for your ugly mug to be plastered on the front page of every gossip rag and website again, after today. Almost made eating breakfast unappetizing.” Which made them all chuckle and helped to relieve the tension. “Plus, I happen to like her, but if you can actually pull this off, it will be a miracle akin to the parting of the Red Sea.”

“Ah, well I see you and George here have the same expectations of failure from me. I’m not entirely sure how to take that.” It was almost a tease, but more of a confrontation. Had his friends really thought him incapable of anything serious, outside of his racing?

“I suppose you can take it as ‘surprise,’ Parker. It has all come as quite a shock, especially to the two of us. It is hardly the type of thing we would expect from you.” Crowe tried to defuse the situation.

“And why exactly am I not capable of this ‘type of thing’, as you so eloquently put it, Crowe?” Sidney demanded.

“Really Sid, I don’t think anyone, not even you, has an accurate and itemized list of your former paramours. If you can call them that.” Crowe was teasing, but they all knew the reality behind it. 

“And as I recall it Crowe, you’re not very far behind on your own list.” Sidney reminded him.

“Surely not, but I am not attempting to woo my de-facto boss. Or at least, ‘business partner.’ It could all go terribly side-ways. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that.” Crowe elaborated.

“After your pep-talk in the car the other night, I’m not sure if I _want_ to have this conversation with you Crowe. I’m not sure that I’ll be able to restrain my urge to punch _your_ ugly mug.” Sidney was in no mood to fall down that pit Crowe had led him to the other night.

He put his palms up to retreat and let Sidney know that he was not there to push him. “I have no wish to take away any of the joy you so evidently displayed in _print_ , this morning, while in the presence of the lovely Dr. Heywood…” He waited but he had to ask, and his tone was more serious now. “Do you know if she feels the same? …. I mean, you are practically an open book right now, to anyone who really knows you.” He raised his eyebrows, with concern. “Those pictures were… telling, to say the least.”

“I hardly knew they were being taken, did I ?!” Sidney finally confronted that he was not happy that he had been revealed so publicly.

“The press conference photos weren’t any better, Sidney.” Babington finally joined the fray. “I have only really spoken to you about the aftermath of all this publicity, but Crowe is right. We know what happened the last time. It does not help that the Heywoods are so instrumental in the operations of Parker’s, right now. It’s too reminiscent of your situation the last time you lost yourself in someone else. I’m sure I speak for Crowe as well, when I say we don’t want to see you get hurt again, old friend.”

‘Leave it to Babington to say it in a mature way,’ Crowe thought. “It’s true Sidney. We are both just concerned for you. You’ve spent the last 7 years trying to move on from that insipid witch.”

Sidney looked down. He had been seated on his sofa, and he finally dropped his head to where his friends could not see his face. Thinking. But he always came back to the same conclusion, and decided he needed to share it for them to believe him. He raised his head to them. “She is not anything like Eliza. Charlotte, is practically a different _species_ from Eliza. I’m sure you see that too. Or at least I hope you do. Maybe that’s why I’ve fallen so fast. There is nothing, with her, or with how I think of her that reminds me in any way of what happened in the past. Charlotte is here for very different reasons, and has a very different path ahead of her. I know it. I _know_ that it’s not the same. I am thankful that you are concerned for me. But I will regret it every day of my life if I don’t at least try to win her.”

Maybe that had been why he had not been that angry about the photos. He had been stunned, upset, a little embarrassed. But he was only _angry_ for how it would look, for how it would affect Charlotte, for how Parker’s would look, for how she might see him, all he really was angry or concerned about was not about him. It was always about Charlotte and how it would affect her or affect what she thought about him. There was a certainty to his thoughts now. He looked at them with a new found energy and focus. “I have to win her. Babington, I have to. I have to make sure she knows this is different. I cannot ruin this.”

His two friends glanced at each other. Not exactly alarmed, well, some alarm as it was so uncharacteristic, but more shocked than anything else. It was almost like Sidney was drunk and unsteady from the experience, the revelation. He knew that he wanted her, he just did not realize how much until just now. The comparison with Eliza had made it all remarkably clear.

“Well, as seeing how all of us are currently single, and have been most of our adult lives, we may need to ask for some assistance…” Crowe was finally heeding the pleas from his friend. “And I may know who to ask.”

***

Clara had waited for the lunch rush to subside before collecting her green drink from the mini-fridge in her small office in the Control Center, finally bringing it to the Hospitality Suite. She had hoped to drink her lunch in peace, and had been sitting and working on her email list. Highlighting large chunks in order to send them straight to the trash bin. She had only worked through a quarter of her ‘lunch,’ When Sidney, Crowe and Babington came in and made a bee-line for her table. ‘This cannot be good’ she thought, as she slowly inhaled to brace herself for what ever was headed her way.

They did not ask, simply pulled chairs over to her table for one, and kept their eyes on her in a way that she was more than familiar with. They clearly wanted something.

“What do I have to thank for the honor of your ‘assembly’ here during my lunch hour.” She dead panned.

“Dear Clara, we are here for your wisdom and guidance in a rather delicate matter.” Crowe was really playing it thick, but he did sincerely want her help. He may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he could recognize it when he saw it.

“Charlotte, I assume?” She looked at Sidney, and he gave that small sickeningly sweet smile which had led to all the extra work she’d dealt with that morning. She rolled her eyes.

Babington could see that she was not in the mood to play matchmaker anymore today, and stepped in to help, with a smile. “Yes, as usual, you are correct Clara. We, Crowe and I, find ourselves ill-equipped to assist in this area.”

She huffed a single laugh at that observation. Then she looked at their desperate faces and realized they were completely serious. Like a group of 6th years trying to ask out a girl to the prom. Shaking her head slightly, and said almost under her breath, “I cannot believe that this is what my job has become. Sidney Parker, you owe me already for this morning.” She said it almost as a warning.

“Yes, Clara, I am aware that you of all people have saved my ass more times than I can count.” He said.

Clara remembered Tony, and realized that maybe she had created some of this mess, and maybe she owed him a little as well. But he never had to know that, she thought. “Fine. I’ll help if I can. What is it that has all three of you acting like virgins?”

“Well, funny you should put it that way,” Sidney chuckled. “But this is the first time I have wanted to get to know a woman, on how should I say it… a more permanent basis.” She was watching him as he said it, discerning his sincerity. She would not help him if it meant harm to Charlotte. Girls stick together against players like Sidney Parker.

“How do I know you’re serious Parker? I work for _her_ now too.” She looked at him with warranted skepticism.

Crowe stepped in, knowing a few of Clara’s soft spots. “We had the same reaction, Babers and I. It all seems, exceedingly out of character for Parker, here.” And Sidney gave him an offended look. “Don’t look at me like that Sid, you are hardly the only guilty party at this table,” Crowe knew that a lack of commitment could have been applied to all four of them currently in this conversation. “But… Sidney is our friend and has asked us to help. We, as his friends, would like to, but find ourselves at a loss. We need a female perspective. A very _clever_ female perspective.” He gave her a very dashing, yet quiet smile. She had to admit, self-deprecation in a man, followed by a compliment toward her, was something she enjoyed. It put everyone in their rightful place, she thought.

She gave them her smallest smile, but her eyes had change from doubt to something more akin to pity. “Fine.” She exhaled. “What is it that you need?” Because with women, and wooing them, the possibilities were endless, and only dictated by the woman in question.

Babington, curious as to what information was locked in that blonde head, asked first. “Well, I have already informed Sidney that his usual mode of ‘attack’ will not work in this situation.” And that got another single laugh from Clara.

“No,” she was trying to push down her laughter at that observation. “Quite right George. Not for Dr. Heywood.”

“He is quite serious, and has said that he promised to take things slowly with her, which is not a speed he enjoys, is it?” Babers was smiling and maybe taking more fun at Sidney than necessary, but it was all too easy right now. It did earn him an eye roll from his intended target, but it was worth it just to see him squirm a little for a change.

“No, I would probably place Sidney in the ‘sprinter’ category as opposed to the ‘marathoners’. When it comes to relationships.” She was thinking as she said this. Lips pursed a little, eyes narrowed and focused. It wasn’t an insult. Just an observation. Sidney still didn’t like it, but knew he needed her help. “You have to think and ask yourself, what does she think about? What are her priorities, what are the things that matter to her, what are her likes and dislikes? You see? Not just flowers and a nice dinner, followed by seduction for dessert. No, with Charlotte she is much more complex. She might fall for that like any other woman, in the beginning, but not for long. There needs to be something more substantive there. Something to build on. She’s too smart, those moves would only bore her in the end. She needs to be challenged.” She let them think on that. This would not be an easy ‘problem’ to solve.

She continued, “There are the more obvious things. Her family for instance. They all seem to be quite close. Obviously, her work, she does have an incredible intuition with what she does, and it excites her. But you will need to dig a little deeper as you get to know her, Sidney.” He nodded. It made sense.

“Thank you, Clara,” he finally spoke after his friends had jumped in with the problem. He nodded. “I think I see what you mean.”

“Start with what you know, but your observations will be what carries it all through, Sidney. It really is up to you, if you want this with her.” She concluded. There was only so much she could do. “Family, friends, interests, work. Start there and keep adding to the list whenever you can. It’s simple, but effective. As long as you’re paying attention.” He nodded. “Oh, and Sidney, you will have to open up as well.” She was really looking pointedly at him now. “If you want to know her, she also needs to know you.”

“Yes, yes of course.” And he was reminded of how she had questioned him in his car just yesterday morning, and how she had extracted information from him like no one else had done, except for maybe Arthur and Diana. It gave him a smile just thinking of it.

Crowe, needing to break the seriousness at the table stood, bowed at the waist, picked up Clara’s hand and kissed the back of it giving her constant eye contact. “You, are a treasure, Clara.” And smilingly gave her a wink.

She shook her head at him, but secretly she enjoyed it. “Off with all of you. I need at least 12 more minutes to myself before facing anymore reporters today.

Crowe continued with his ‘persona,’ “We shall take our leave of you, my lady.” This almost got him a smile from her, more of a smirk really. But he felt rewarded none the less.

***

Back in the garage Sidney waited to watch Crowe’s work on the track, and James was busy following all instructions from Michael through the team radio during his drive. Once his hard compound tyres had been broken in well, and the fuel tank was closer to empty, James was given the go to run some quick laps. It was a hotter day, and the hard tyres were responding well to the heat in the tarmac. He had not had them on for more than 8 laps, so they were primed for a good performance.

And perform they did. Sidney watched as James’ laps were suddenly gripping everyone in the garage with enthusiasm. The data that was coming through showed that each lap was faster than the last, and by the 4th fast lap, he had broken their highest speed and lowest lap time so far in testing. For the crew, it was exhilarating to see all the telemetry come through, and to see where he had shaved time in each sector turn after turn, lap after lap. It was time to cool the car a bit on a slower lap, and his session was done.

Suddenly, Sidney was not thinking about Charlotte and how to woo her, for the first time all day. He was thinking about his new teammate, and how maybe a Parker might not be the lead driver for long on this team, his team. It was a not a sensation he’d had in regards to a teammate before. He was suddenly feeling older than his age, and in a way that left him a little untethered.

To make matters worse, Charlotte was thrilled. Once James had pulled in the pit, she had jumped up from her seat on the pit wall and was across the pit lane and in the garage before his car had been wheeled all the way in by the mechanics. He finally got unbuckled and out, and took off his helmet, smiling like he had just won the championship, and only focused on Charlotte once he saw her. He saw her speaking with him, and his heart sunk realizing again that Charlotte and James already were 'friends.' They'd known each other for half a year, and he was already behind. He had known that, but now that he was more aware of his own feelings, it dug much deeper.

James was definitely drawn to her. It might not have looked that way to anyone else who saw it, but he suddenly realized that maybe he was not the only one interested in getting to know her better. And if James did feel that way, there was a lot more than starting grid positions and podiums they would be competing over in the coming months. It would be Charlotte. As excited as he had been that morning in Clara’s office speaking with Charlotte, he now felt an equal amount of uncertainty. All of his talking with his friends, talking with Clara, if he didn’t move fast enough and also not too fast, it could definitely all go sideways, as Crowe said. Heads or Tails. From where he was looking, it could all go in either direction, and he was rudely awakened to the fact that he very well might lose.


	18. Catch-Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so grateful for your comments and your enthusiasm! Really makes the effort worth it. I hope you enjoy this long chapter, as a thank you!

Chapter 18

Catch-up

“Finally,” Charlotte muttered as the alert from Esther’s text popped up. She quickly texted back “

C: I’m calling you, 2 min

They paused for a break as they got the car ready for Crowe, and she made a dash for the Control Center and closed her office door behind her.

*ring*

“What is all of this nonsense in the news? Surely there is some kind of grave error!” Esther was not holding back.

“Well, yes, but apparently also, no.” Charlotte answered.

“Do not play games with me Charlotte, I have been waiting all day to hear from you. What have those Parkers done to you? Please tell me Tom Parker has not somehow brainwashed you in the short time you have been there.”

“No, actually, I’ve hardly seen Tom since the first day, which is rather strange, but no he had nothing to do with what happened.” Charlotte suddenly realized.

Charlotte went on to explain how the pictures were taken, Esther was the only person she told about the drive to the track that morning, and how it made her feel, and how she realized she liked spending time with Sidney, and how kind and sweet he had been that morning after the pictures came out, especially after she had been despondent once she had seen them, worrying about her parents, and the people at work. Most important, she talked about how she wanted to see him again, and how she became flushed every time she saw him, and even when she thought about him, and wanted to see him right now if she could. They had barely time to talk this morning after they’d had their ‘talk’ about getting to know each other better, and how he asked for her phone number, and it wasn’t just because she was a coworker. She felt like she was standing on the edge, waiting for something. 

“Oh my god, I’m too late. How did this happen, you’ve been there a week! You’re in love with him, or you will be soon enough. I suppose it could be lust, stranger things have happened, but I was quite sure that you were immune to that sort of thing... There must be a way to exorcise you, and save you from yourself!” This really was worse than Esther thought.

“We have only decided to be friends, and not jump in to anything too quickly.” She hoped that would help.

“HA! Except that you want to, you can’t hide this from me. I _taught_ you how date, I know all your tells Charlotte. You _DO_ know what kind of man he is? He is not your sweet Raj from Boston! He is the polar opposite of that. He spends his life preying on unsuspecting, well and I imagine, _very_ suspecting women. _Many of_ them! I do not trust him, Charlotte. He has been this way since primary school. He was only a couple years ahead of me. And believe me the gossip started early with that one.” She needed Charlotte to know what she was getting into.

“I don’t know what he was like back then or even recently. I just know he was very _sincere_ when we spoke, and... I don’t even know him well enough to even think I’m in love with him. We shared one car ride, and half a dozen _very_ uncomfortable conversations before that! The ice has hardly been broken, and half the world thinks we are already a couple! You would not _believe_ the conversation I had with my mother this morning.” Charlotte desperately wanted Esther to understand how confusing everything had been.

“I can _well_ imagine how that conversation went with your mother! _What_ she must be feeling right now. She has my sympathies… I usually don’t worry about you Charlotte, you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, but this is altogether different than usual… wait…You said uncomfortable conversations with Sidney, …. How do you mean?” This was not in the typical Lothario playbook, she thought.

“Like contentious, and then practically _no_ conversations. _Believe_ me it has been very awkward from the beginning. We’ve practically been avoiding each other. Or I guess that could have just been me… not sure.” She was biting her lip, doing her best to analyze the situation.

“Interesting… So, none of the typical smooth-talking moves? And then none of this ‘friendly’ behavior started until yesterday?” That was odd, Esther’s wheels were turning.

“Well, he is very handsome, so he is hard to ignore, but no, nothing until yesterday, driving in his car." She repeated.

“That’s exactly what serial killers do. Wait until they can get you to the second location, alone, and in an enclosed space.” She was not going to change her mind about Sidney Parker that quickly.

“I had an escape route planned, if necessary.” She responded very matter of fact.

“Of course, you did. I would never expect less of you. I still do not like the sound of this, Charlotte. You are out of your depth here. You’re out of _my_ depth with this one. Frankly, this is not a depth I would choose to pursue.” Esther added.

“Please, Esther, I need your help. I can’t help how I feel when I’m near him. It’s like I’ve had too much to drink. Except when we talk about work, or cars, somehow that seems to settle me…” Charlotte was wringing her fingers at this point.

“Darling, you always have my help, no matter _which_ unworthy man is heating your loins… I just don’t understand it. You are far too stable and intelligent for Sidney Parker, knowing some of his history. I’m sure he knows you could wipe the floor with him in an argument. The very notion that he would put himself at the mercy of a woman like you is… well, I hate to say it… strangely mature... Either that, or his _delusional_ ego has finally broken his understanding of reality, and he should be hospitalized. And I am _not_ betting on the former.” Esther would be hard to convince.

“I already have bested him in more than one discussion, in fact practically as soon as we met. So clearly that has not scared him away. It always acts as a good litmus test. Honestly, I think he was a little surprised.” She thought back to their earlier meetings.

“Humpf, I’m _sure_ he was. Charlotte, I expect you to keep me posted and stay in touch with me. More than anything I’ve _missed_ you. I know your work is ridiculous and demanding, but I also know you will be traveling again soon.” Esther really needed to see her soon, now that she realized how dire this situation seemed to be.

“I know, I’ve missed you too. We need to start running together again. You said there was a good path around the links?” Charlotte thought, exercise always helped to clear her head.

“Yes, of course we will do that, but how about dinner tomorrow? You can bring Michael too. Come to the club, and we can have a nice leisurely meal, a good bottle of wine, and we can finally really catch up.” She needed to get her relaxed, and not out of breath while running.

“Lovely, that sounds perfect!”

***

Sidney practically pounced on Babington during the break once he had seen Arthur and Michael leave the pit wall, Charlotte had left so quickly he didn’t have a chance to see where she went.

“Babers! We need to talk.”

“What is it now, Sidney?” George was clearly annoyed at his friend’s ‘puppy-like’ behavior.

“Are you free tomorrow?” Sidney pleaded.

“Why are you asking me this?” Looking for a way out of what he was going to ask.

“Well, if I want to spend time with Charlotte, and you are _insisting_ on keeping me in line, I suppose I should probably make sure you are available first.” His words were clipped, a little frustrated at having to explain Babington’s rule back to him.

“Ah! Yes. No, I don’t not have plans tomorrow. What were your thoughts?”

“Dinner possibly.” Sidney replied.

“Jumping right into the evening date, are we? What happened to taking it slow?” He _knew_ that this was going to be difficult when he insisted on it.

“Well I’m working with Diana most of the day, and then we are doing meal prep for the rest of the week, and you know how she is if I try to reschedule.” Sidney did not want to let his other regimens slide, especially not now.

“True, I’d rather not try to negotiate with Diana. Let me know what Charlotte says.” George relented.

Sidney took out his phone, thought about texting her, then realized that if he waited in the back of the pit area, he would probably catch her when she returned from wherever it was that she ran off to. It took close to 10 minutes before he saw her walking back. He stepped out from the storage area, which was basically a maze of white air-freight containers outside in the back of the pit garage. “Charlotte.” She looked at him, and smiled. She then looked around behind her to make sure no one, or at least no cameras were nearby. Only then did she finally take a few steps towards him.

“Hi, good work today. Are you staying to watch Robert?” She asked, smiling softly.

“Thanks, uh, yeah. I always like to see what he does with the cars. He’s a really good driver. Always has been.” He responded. “Hey, I was thinking, about this ‘friendship’ thing we’re planning to try. Do you think maybe we could start with dinner tomorrow? Babington wants to come out too, so no pressure, not like a ‘date.’” Even though he really wanted it to be. Her eyes widened, and he thought he saw her begin to smile, and then she blinked, and her expression changed. 'That does not look promising', he thought.

“Oh! I would really love to, but I’m supposed to be having dinner with my friend, Esther, tomorrow. I haven’t even seen her since we moved here, everything’s been so busy.” She did actually sound disappointed, and a little breathy, like maybe she was nervous.

“I see.” He was thinking quickly. His voice was deep, and quietly hopeful “You don’t suppose, you and Esther might want to join us, Babers and me?” He thought this situation of having Babers with him, might actually help him out in this moment.

She smiled at his idea, and said “Let me ask her and see what she thinks. I’ll text you?”

He returned her smile in spades, “That sounds great, and tell Esther I said ‘hi’. I knew her and her brother when we were all younger. It’s been a long time.” Maybe that extra push of politeness would put him over the top in their decision. There was no way he was going to let an opportunity like this pass by.

She nodded, he noticed she was still smiling, “OK, I’ll ask her.” And then she slowly stepped back before turning to walk back toward the pit wall. But he kept watching her, waiting, and then before she crossed through to the garage, she finally turned her head back to look at him, one more time, one last smile.

‘C’mon Esther, don’t let me down.’ He thought.

***

  
“So now I have to share you? With Sidney Parker, and _who_ exactly?” Esther was utterly annoyed at having her plans disrupted, and then she paused. Seeing how he treated her friend, how he behaved, might be helpful in getting Charlotte to change her mind about him. An inside approach, a Trojan horse, she thought. “OK, I’ll go along with this ‘little plan’, but our next meal together will be just us two.”

“Really?!” She smiled, but added “I know, I need some girl time desperately, there are so few of us at work.” She really was relieved. For some reason, she really did not want to have to tell Sidney ‘no.’ She added, “And his friend, George, well he works with us, very nice, and intelligent. George Babington. He wanted to go out as well.”

“Never heard of him.” She replied coolly. She then wondered if this Babington was only invited to help make Sidney look good. A Wing-Man to help build him up. She already didn’t trust him. “Fine, tell them 7:30 at the club. And not to be late.”

“Thank you, Esther. I am sorry for changing our plans.” She really was, but she was also looking forward to dinner even more now. It was now 7:00pm, she and Michael had just arrived at their Denham Place Flat. She had taken refuge in her bedroom before making the call. Now she was thinking how funny it was, that it had felt like the place she wanted the earth to swallow her whole, just this morning. So much had changed in just one day. She took a deep breath, and then texted Sidney their response.

C: Esther says to join us. 7:30, the dining room at the Denham Dunes. Also- don’t be late. She hates it when people are late.

S: We will be there. On time.

That was it. Very short, and if the smiles hiding behind the messages could also have been seen, very sweet.

***

Sidney’s days started typically early, and today was no different. He began with a shake for breakfast, and then had a run along the beach in his sweats, and his hood pulled up. It was still chilly and there was a fine mist falling, and also practically coming up from the sea. He needed some solitude, some time to think and to process. Think about Clara’s advice, and to think about tonight. He was glad that Diana was coming over to help set up his food for the rest of the week. He also needed to get with her about what to order for dinner. He had a good idea, but she was so careful in planning everything for him, he did not want to wander too far from her meal plans. Plus, he was still feeling sluggish from the effects of the bourbon he’d had several nights ago. 

He was almost drenched when he came to his back door, kicked off his sandy shoes on the shale tile in his mudroom, and stripped down to put his clothes in to the wash right away. He had a towel to wrap around his waist as he made his way to his shower upstairs, and then changed to his gym clothes. He was meeting Diana for one of his workouts in an hour, and ate one of his ‘Diana-made’ protein snacks along with one of her replenishment drinks. He stopped for a minute, reopened his fridge, and looked at what was inside. It wasn’t a large fridge, but it was filled with rows of freshly pressed juice, handmade snacks, perfectly portioned and balanced meals, and bottle after bottle of Diana’s specially prepared replenishment drinks for every need and occasion. Balanced shakes with flax-seed, and clean protein powders, with added magnesium to prevent muscle cramps, all vegan supplements of course, and nothing that would show up on any kind of performance enhancement drug testing. Which they occasionally had to do. Diana was a wonder. He knew that, but he suddenly thought she also might be able to help him in another way.

He opened up his laptop on his desk, in his small office, and started to google information that might help his new cause. He copied a bunch of links onto an email he would send to Diana. He was sure, she would have more ideas, but this would be a good start, and it would help him explain what he was hoping to do. Now, if they would only let him try.

***

They finally had a day where they could stay in their new flat, blast some music, unpack, and get settled in. Michael and Charlotte had finished with most their personal unpacking, and set some clothes from the past week to wash, while they were finding places for some of their items in their kitchen. They collaborated on a shopping list for the super market, and did some general cleaning, sweeping, tidying, and trying to make things feel a little more like home. Michael had spent a lot more time there than she had, and had already arranged some of the pots and pans, and cooking and prep utensils they had brought with them. The flat had been fairly well furnished, but a decent espresso machine and burr coffee grinder were always top of the list, and was one of the first things they had set up with a prime spot on the counter. All those sleepless, or at least sleep deprived, nights required caffeine of the highest quality, at least in Charlotte’s opinion. She didn’t make many demands in life, but the perfect ratio of steamed milk to espresso was essential in the morning.

After hours of cleaning bathrooms, and lighting citrus-scented candles to help make the flat more inviting, she finally spoke with Michael about plans for that evening. “Michael, would you like to go to dinner tonight, Esther has invited you. I’m meeting her at the club.”

“That’s very nice of Esther, but I made plans to check out one of the local pubs with James and a few of the guys.” He answered. “Sorry I didn’t think about asking you. I know watching football or cricket down at the local isn’t your favorite thing.”

“You know I love cricket. I would just rather be playing than watching. But it sounds like we’ve both made plans.” She pinched her lips between her teeth, and took a deep breath before continuing. “In fact, Sidney and George asked to join us, so they will be there too.”

Michael chuckled as he stopped using the broom in the hallway he was sweeping, and looked at her, smiling and unable to hide his amusement. “Is that _righ_ t? Well, sounds like a fun double-date.” She looked down like she had been caught with her hand in the biscuit jar. “You know Lottie, I know that yesterday with the press, was, well… embarrassing for you. But I like Sidney. I think if mum and dad met him, they would like him too. Well, maybe. You know dad has always been more of a Lewis fan. But we are working with the Parkers now, so he might over look that small detail.” His eyes twinkled as he teased her, but it was mostly true. He saw her blush as she tried to avoid his gaze. “Plus, in our family, how could they possibly object to you dating a racing driver? Be rather hypocritical, don’t you think?” His smile was not going anywhere at this point.

“I suppose you’re right. I just don’t want to rush things. I don’t really know what he wants or what he thinks other than our conversation yesterday. And we did decide to be friends before anything else. And I think that is a good plan. Yesterday’s ‘baptism by fire’ in the tabloids was evidence enough of that being a better way to get to know each other.” It was exactly how she felt. She did not want to relive that experience. But if they did get closer, if they did date, eventually it would be a norm that she would have to learn to deal with, but then changed the subject. “Well, Esther is sending a car from the club to pick me up, so I shouldn’t have any trouble getting there and back. She has promised a good bottle of wine with dinner, so I will not be driving. I hope you are also making similar arrangements?”

“Yes,’ Mama’, I am,” he answered drolly.

After hours of cleaning, Michael went to the supermarket, so that she could finally take a nap after the last 9 days, where she most certainly did not get enough sleep. She had set her alarm for 5 so that she would not sleep too late in order to get ready. The Club dining room, in the evening was an elegant place to dine. She knew that a certain dress-code was expected, and was regretting that she had not had a chance to do any shopping with Clara yet, like they had talked about. She had a few items that would work. It was still chilly, so she did not need to wear a flimsy floaty dress. She slowly went through each hanger in her armoire inspecting the items they held for any inspiration. She had another trunk of clothes she had not opened yet. And went to see what it might have to offer.

Finally, she came across the warm, navy-blue ensemble she had purchased at Neiman Marcus in Boston. A splurge she allowed herself after finishing her PHD research, and also needing an outfit for a departmental reception. A cashmere boat-neck sweater with a matching knee-length, woven, fitted wool skirt. Warm but not bulky. It had rained that morning, and the air was chillier and damper than it had been in a few days. The sweater was loose, leaving room for her ample assets. And because of her slim shoulders, the wide neckline sometimes slipped over one shoulder or another, requiring the right brassiere, but she had that already. She dug through another box until she found the patent navy heels that already matched. She never wore much jewelry, but some small gold earrings she had would help to finish it and hopefully dress it up. She was sure Clara could have done much better if given the time, but this would have to do. It wasn’t even a date, after all.

The car arrived at 7:15, since it would take less than 10 minutes to get from her door to the Denham Dunes. She grabbed a black pashmina wrap to help with the chill on her shoulders, and was off. When she arrived inside the main hall of the original Sanditon House, she looked up at the chandeliers and the family portraits, all Denhams, on the walls. She had not visited Esther’s ancestral home in many years, and it had only been a couple times, but it never stopped being something of a shock. So much gold leaf everywhere, and dark walls reminiscent of the Denham Place flat they were currently renting. It was all very opulent. She removed her thin wrap and draped it over her arm while her eyes wandered toward the ceiling. Finally, she looked toward the entrance of dining room on the other side of the lobby to see Sidney and Babington waiting.

He had been watching the door, waiting for her to arrive. Precisely at 7:25 she walked into the main hall. He almost couldn’t react when he saw her. She looked elegant, simple, and her hair was up in a simple loose twist at the back, but a very few small curls had been left loose near her ears and temples, and the back of her neck. For the first time, he could actually see her legs. He hadn’t realized he had only ever seen her in trousers at work. He obviously didn’t seem to care what they looked like, until he saw how they gently curved up and over into her lower back. Those team uniforms at the track had not done her any justice, he thought. She was stunning. If he hadn’t already been far gone in his admiration of her before, he most certainly would have been at that moment. She smiled when she saw him, and they started walking toward each other.

Babington was happy for a decent meal and a night out, but he was becoming exhausted from Sidney’s oddly boyish and nervous behavior. The whole thing had been a mystery to him, and he wasn’t sure he would have the patience to be his ‘third wheel’ as he had sworn to do. He saw them walking toward each other like magnets, and started shaking his head. They were talking, greeting each other with stars in their eyes, he thought. He shook his head, It was an odd turn of events for Sidney, he thought.

Minutes later, he saw a brilliant flash of soft red hair in long loose waves, reflecting the light from the chandeliers, as it walked down the wide staircase in the middle of the hall. It certainly caught his attention, but when the creature those locks belonged to, turned and headed in their direction, he found he could no longer breathe. Porcelain skin, feminine but strong features, and the largest green eyes he was sure he had ever seen. She looked as if she was lit from within. She was dressed to stop traffic in a fitted black long sleeve dress that reached exactly at the top of her knees. Subtle, sophisticated, covered, yet sexy, and he followed the view down to her slim strong legs to the most beautifully turned ankles he had ever seen. All of it culminating in a striking pair of impossibly high, and elegant, emerald green suede heels. He watched as she flicked her head slightly, sending the waves away from her face. Before he knew it, she was smiling and hugging Charlotte, and then giving a very polite kiss on the cheek to Sidney, but practically cutting him through with the glare from her eyes. She was “magnificent,” he muttered. Like Botticelli’s Venus, but even more beautiful, and a little something dangerous. There was not a single piece of art work he could think of that could match her beauty. “Utterly magnificent.” It was all he seemed to be able to think or speak at this time. All other words had left him. He wasn’t sure if he was breathing, or blinking. He wasn’t even sure if he could feel his feet standing on the polished marble floor. He felt like he was floating, and they were all three walking his way.

“Babington… Babington?” Sidney had repeated himself. George had looked like he was in a trance.

“What? Oh yes, Sidney. Hello Charlotte, how are you this evening?” He really wanted to look at her friend next to her, but thought he might feel like he was looking at the sun if he did.

“Are you alright George?” She asked.

“Oh yes, well, you know, it’s been a very long two weeks.” He answered her rushed and awkwardly. He heard her respond with some kind of acknowledgment and agreement about work, but did not really hear all of it. He finally came out of his fog when he heard…

“George, this is my dearest friend Esther Denham. Esther, this is George Babington.” Charlotte really liked George, and hoped that he and Esther would get along, even if this wasn’t a blind date.

He composed himself and looked at the exquisite angel in front of him, except that her expression was nothing short of disdainful, mixed with distrust. She allowed him to grasp just her fingers in a very lady like ‘hand shake.’ But that was all she gave to him. He was suddenly glad he had worn his best dark grey evening suit, with his crisp light blue shirt, that he knew brought out his eyes. He would have kicked himself if he had met her in anything less well made than his tailor’s best. The dining room did not require ties, but he had worn one anyway. Years of etiquette training from his mother, Countess of Basilford, and his Gran, the Dowager Countess, had left imprints more that just lessons.

They were seated at a discreetly placed table for 4. The waiter came to check in with Esther first, and then they looked at menus and placed their orders. As much as the main hall was a study in contrast with the light marble floors, dark walls, and a seemingly endless amount of gold leaf on most of the plaster work and mouldings, the dining room at Denham’s was like rays of golden sunlight. Rich burnished gold carpeting, white linens, low candles on every table surrounding low bowls of white cabbage roses in the center, or spaced down the longer tables. Bone china, rimmed with a wide gold band, and the Denham Crest. The heavy silk drapes were just two shades lighter than the carpet, and covered the side edges of the windows from the floor all the way up to just below the mouldings along the entire outer wall. It was a very dramatic effect that reflected all the warm light, but also kept the noise muffled in the large room. Potted palms were placed in groups to act as screens, intermittently spaced to keep the tables from feeling too exposed. The effect gave the feeling of a series of smaller rooms within the large open dining hall. It was sumptuous, and equally tasteful. It was not the place you went to eat and leave. It was designed for a relaxed yet elegant meal.

3 cocktails were ordered, and one soda with lime. Sidney seated himself next to Charlotte on her left, at the small round table, so that he would hopefully be able to talk more with her. He had also called ahead after talking with Diana to sort out his order, so he wouldn’t have to explain when he got there. He wanted to be able to focus on Charlotte as much as possible. He knew he would have to pass on what he imagined to be quite a good Margaux, that Esther had selected for their dinner that evening to celebrate Charlotte’s new job and move to Sanditon. Once their aperitifs had arrived, he was able to notice the dramatic neckline of Charlotte’s sweater. How it moved with her, and revealed more of the golden skin around her shoulders and exposed neck. He could barely take his eyes away from her, let alone keep his mind from straying far away from ‘friendly’ thoughts. The light in the room only seemed to enhance her stunning, natural beauty, and he was grateful now that he was not going to be having alcohol tonight. That would have made all his thoughts of her, much more difficult to manage.

Babington finally had gathered himself enough to attempt a conversation with the ethereal beauty on his left. After all, she was beautiful, but that was all he really knew about her. She could possibly be boring, a simpleton (but that was doubtful), or be one of those women who did not have a decent sense of humor, or maybe a terrible laugh. There had to be something wrong with her, he convinced himself. So, he started with the typical small talk skills he had learned from his mother, and his Gran. He asked how she had met Charlotte, and how long they had known each other. All the typical information between the two friends he could engage in with her. She was aloof, and disinterested. But she also managed to be polite. Plus, he could see Parker, trying to have a conversation with Charlotte. After the couple days they’d had, he convinced himself that what he was doing, talking with Esther, was really a selfless act. And certainly not because she was the living embodiment of every teenage dream he’d ever had. That was just a ‘coincidence’. He was a grown man after all. He was here to help his friend, and by talking with Esther, he was giving time to his friend to work on some of the ‘assignments’ Clara had given him. That was all, he told himself. He felt like he was arguing with himself, perhaps because he was. Or at least arguing with the unexpected reaction he’d had to meeting Charlotte’s best friend. Or rather, the unexpected, and dizzying effects from meeting Charlotte’s best friend.

It was almost 20 minutes after the serving of their meal, when Esther looked at Sidney, and began her interrogation.

“Sidney, it has been a very long time since we’ve seen each other. Surprising since we live in the same town.” She wanted to draw him out.

“True, it has been very long, a few years at least. Of course, we have to travel quite a bit with the team, so we aren’t here as much as we might like.” Sidney gave a small grin, somewhat relieved that she seemed to be retracting her claws after the icy reception they had received when he and Babers arrived.

“Yes… _all_ that traveling... So many ‘ports’ to visit, I imagine.” She blinked and smiled, but he knew it was not a friendly smile or a friendly reference to ‘ports,’ or ‘traveling,’ and something more akin to a lifestyle attributed to sailors, or even pirates.

He looked down at his half-eaten meal, before giving a small smile but clenched his jaw, and giving an even smaller cock of his head to the side. “It is a grueling business, all the traveling.” He locked eyes with her, he would not let her ruin this. “It certainly makes one think more of settling down.”

At that she barely held back a chuckle, “Well, since you’ve been ‘traveling’ since you were practically 10, I would imagine you might be thinking of retirement.” Her eyes pierced at his, as her voice still kept its civility despite dripping with judgement. It was a remarkable skill.

“Oh, I didn’t really have much traveling to do until my late teens, but the quality of travel was never what I was looking for.” At this slightly agitated and defiant remark from Sidney, Babington who had been watching this tennis match looked over at Charlotte sitting across from him, trying to see if she was understanding the code words that were being used. From her resemblance to the color she wore yesterday morning fleeing the garage, he knew that she did. And surely, knowing Charlotte the way he did now, she probably knew this “conversation” was going to happen before it actually did.

“Quality?! I _am_ curious to know why you would think that you are _deserving_ of that level of quality?” Her voice lowered and her eyes narrowed, she leaned just enough toward Sidney across from her, but never stopped tracking him with her eyes. “I’m inclined to believe otherwise.” It almost a whisper, but it was easily heard.

Sidney did not flinch “I believe if one recognizes the _singular_ beauty and _uniqueness_ behind said quality, and can _earn_ it, why should they not try to be deserving of it?” Sidney replied, also leaning more toward Esther with each word as he spoke it. Charlotte almost spoke up, to put an end to the verbal sparring, but she saw Esther lift her chin as she inspected Sidney’s face. She peered down at him with her narrowed green eyes, refusing to look away. But she did pull back until she was settled into her typical ram-rod posture in her chair. She looked over at Charlotte, and her face softened.

“I suppose the ‘earning’ of it remains to be seen.” And she flicked her eyes back at Sidney. “I look forward to watching these ‘events’ with great interest... Sidney.” Her voice wasn’t quite as harsh as it had been. She was actually surprised by the openness of his last answer, and genuinely hoped he lived up to it. She called the waiter over to request another bottle of the Margaux.

Babington watched as the table began to relax, and Charlotte worked on changing the subject, and some of the conversation between Esther and Sidney returned to something closer to normal. It had been something of a revelation to see her confront Sidney in that way. Nothing, it seemed, could intimidate or scare her, and it sent lightning bolts down his spine, creating a warmth in his abdomen. He could wait no longer to attempt to engage her in a more personal conversation. But only once he had composed himself.

“Esther, I understand that you are the woman in charge here.” He said with a smile.

She looked at him with some reserve, but answered anyway. “Well, on a daily basis yes. We do have investment partners, but they have been mostly hands-off. Also, some of the larger decisions involve the Elected Management Committee that oversees operations of the golf course. They help to maintain certain governance procedures. The golf course is practically run as a separate entity. But it does help our ratings in the golf magazines, travel guides, and websites, which in turn helps the rest of the property.”

“Do you play golf yourself?” What did Clara say? Find their interests? He thought to himself.

“Sometimes, but usually only when forced.” And she gave him a sly smile when she said it. “Have you ever played here? You live in Sanditon, don’t you?” As she reached for her wine glass. She wasn’t sure why she was being so polite with him, but it was also business.

“Yes, when my father was alive, we would play here when he came to visit. The links are beautifully situated. He enjoyed it immensely, as I recall. Can’t say that I’ve played much since then.” He realized as he said it.

She suddenly felt a little sorry for him, knowing what that was like. “Yes, my step-father taught me to play, before he passed.” And then she straightened up and moved on. “We do have an excellent golf-pro here, if you ever feel like you want to brush up your skills again.” It wasn’t rude, but it also wasn’t overly friendly. It certainly was not an invitation to meet again. And Babington caught all of it. But his intrigue with her was already piqued.

“Maybe I shall. We don’t start our season for another month. I can’t think of a better way of spending my time.” He said, with just the slightest hint of innuendo. She was looking at him while he said it, which only verified that he was actually talking about her, not the golf course.

“Well, I can give you the card of our Pro, and you can make an appointment.” She said rather clinically, hoping that would end it.

“I don’t suppose _you_ have a card?” He said charmingly. “In case I wanted to call and… ask some questions.” He was not taking the hint, purposefully.

She turned her face directly towards him, her lips pinched and her eyes were not as friendly as they had been before, deciding this needed to be handled quickly.

“No.” She said.

“What if I wanted to ask you out for a dinner, without these two tagging along?” He motioned to Charlotte and Sidney, who practically had their heads together. With his confident smile, which was only reinforced with the natural bearing of one who has been born into extreme privilege and wealth, he persisted.

She had not looked away. “Mr. Babington, I am quite sure that I am _not_ your type.” She said with some emphasis, but without emotion.

“Oh really, and what, exactly, would you imagine my type to be, may I ask?” He was enchanted, and his eyes showed it.

Her eyes narrowed more. “ _Interested._ ” She answered with more disdain than he had heard from her before, even when dealing with Sidney.

To her surprise, he did not look hurt or offended, or defeated. His smile grew and he laughed like she had told the funniest joke he had ever heard. He kept himself in control and from being too loud and embarrassing the table. When Esther looked at him, questioning his reaction to her efficient, and usually effective brush-off, he was looking at her with even more curiosity, bordering on admiration.

Still smiling, he finally added. “Well, Ms. Denham, I can assure you, I shall not be put off.” He held her gaze and he lifted his wine glass in a toast to her before taking a drink. He only grew more interested as she looked at him with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

She recovered quicker than he expected, and simply looked bored by the whole conversation. "I suppose I can't stop you... if you _wish_ to waste your time," before she went back to talking to Charlotte, ignoring him for the rest of the night.


	19. Night Cap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter, but we get to finish our evening out.

Chapter 19

Nightcap

Charlotte had seen Babers talking with Esther. She always found it somewhat entertaining, when men were shot down like clay pigeons with Esther’s quick trigger. She knew Esther’s history better than anyone, and she understood why she, for the most part, chose to stay single. Babington, however, was not like any of the other men who she had left in pieces on the field. She knew him. He was kind, extremely well mannered, and had an easiness about him that made him very reassuring to be around. Plus, Charlotte genuinely like George from the moment she had met him.

She had been talking to Sidney about work, and a few things about their childhoods, but mostly she had been trying not focus too much on angles of his face as the candlelight played on his features. Or his strong hands that had an elegance and confidence about them when they moved. Or, the extremely fine material and fitted cut of his almost black suit, against his white shirt. The way he leaned toward her while they talked was… distracting. She was grateful for the wine, it helped to give her hands something to do. Her attention had only been diverted by the interaction between George and Esther, when she heard George laughing. Sidney didn’t catch that as being anything unusual, but Charlotte did.

She laughed at things Esther said all the time, but she had a very dry wit. Many people didn’t catch it. Most people in fact, thought she was saying something else entirely, or didn’t realize they had to think through several layers to actually get to the joke. Esther really only said things to amuse herself, or Charlotte if she was with her. So, to hear George laugh with such obvious understanding and enjoyment, planted something of a seed in Charlotte. Sidney had regained her attention, so she had not seen what had transpired after that, but it was definitely a subject she wanted to revisit with Esther.

She _certainly_ hadn’t missed what Sidney had said to Esther, about her. “Singular beauty…” her… “uniqueness...” and wanting to “earn” getting to know her better. It was probably the most moving and complimentary thing anyone had ever said about her. And she _had_ been moved. It would have been impossible not to, she thought. Sidney Parker, and all his obvious appeal, saying things like that, about _her_ , but also in front of her, and her friend, and _his_. And he had not seemed embarrassed or frustrated to have said it, especially since he had only said it because Esther had pushed his buttons in order to get him to. Yes, the wine had helped to calm her, and it did not hurt that it had a buttery texture, a well-aged smoothness, and a lovely plummy red color.

He had watched as she had taken a sip and placed the wine glass back in its place. He couldn’t help but smile as she did so. “Is it good?” he asked, and looked toward the glass before looking back at her.

“It is. Quite good. I’m afraid Esther is the one who taught me about wines, their regions, countries, grapes. All of it. I think it’s something she learned while growing up here. Her step-father had quite a collection I believe. She has worked very hard these last few years to rebuild the cellars, and to get they chef they have now. She has a great talent for these types of things.” She added, and looked as her friend was talking again to one of the waiters, and appeared to be answering a question. “I think she enjoys the demands of the work. There is always something to fix, or plan, or a guest to calm or woo.” She said smilingly.

He gave a sideways smile and looked down and back up at her, a little amused. “Much like yourself, I imagine. Just in different fields.” He was thrilled when she giggled a little at what he had said.

“I suppose you are right.” She said smiling at the thought. “We always just understood each other from the beginning. She is a few years older than me, almost like an older sister, but really more like a friend. If that makes sense?” She wrinkled her nose at her own question, looking impossibly cute, he thought. He had to look down again because it was intoxicating to look at her for too long, especially with the soft lighting reflected on her skin.

“Yes,” he said looking back up. “Not unlike Babers and myself. He really is like another brother to me.” And smiled at her again, and then licked at his lower lip as he bit it, thinking.

She noticed the change in his mood. “What is it? Is something wrong?” She was concerned this might not have been going as well as she thought, and suddenly felt like she might lose something she didn’t even have yet.

He looked up at the wrinkle between her brow, and the concern on her face. He shook his head, before he even spoke, he did not like thinking he had put that worry in her head. “No! no, nothing is wrong. It’s just, well… I had an idea this morning, but I need Diana’s help, and she _wants_ to. I already asked her about it… but you see… well, I probably need to talk with you and Michael about it to see what you think.” Her brow turned quizzical instead of worried. And at least that was something of an improvement. Before he could continue, Esther asked about dessert, but no one was hungry enough to get anything. Esther then engaged Charlotte with questions about the flat, the move, how Michael was doing, her parents, and her work, before he could finish.

Sidney had been talking to Babington as the ladies talked and caught up with one another. He did however, notice that Babington seemed quite distracted by whatever Esther and Charlotte were talking about. Specifically, he was paying attention whenever Esther was talking. He could barely get through a sentence with Babers before his eyes darted elsewhere. Finally, he leaned back a bit and tilted his head as he thoughtfully examined what his friend was doing. He could not stop looking at her, Esther. He had to suppress a chuckle at his friend’s expense. That was _not_ a woman so easily won, and if that was what Babers was intending, then he was sure he was in for many rude awakenings.

He also watched as the two friends were talking, and could see how close they were. Practically speaking in a shorthand that only they could understand. He was even more taken aback when he saw Esther be genuinely amused, and working to keep from laughing openly at something Charlotte had said. In all the years he had known the Denhams, he could not recall seeing Esther Denham laugh. If he had, it would have been almost 20 years ago. He was starting to see why these two, so very different women from the surface anyway, were such close friends. Not unlike George and himself, and it was an education to watch as Charlotte engaged with someone who was a personal friend. Not a work friend like Arthur, or co-worker, or with her brothers. It was new side to her, a relaxed, effervescent side he had not seen before. She was so animated, not unlike, when she discovered something she knew she could fix with the cars. It was that same level of engagement, the same level of delight, really, but her eyes sparkled in a different way. It seemed that the more he knew about her, the more he wanted to know.

Dinner was winding down, and Esther summoned one of the waitstaff to request the car to take Charlotte home. Sidney caught this, and wished he had not driven Babington tonight, because he might have had the chance to take her home. Then he could have had her all to himself for even just a little while. Babington tapped briskly at his foot under the table, knowing what he was thinking, and gave him the same look he had given him after he had seen the pictures in all the papers. A reminder to “slow down.” Well, he might have been right, it would have been very easy for him to walk her to her door, and then use his skills to gain entrance. Plus, she had been drinking, and he did not want to attempt anything if she had been even a little intoxicated. He was not used to waiting, he was not used to patience in these types of matters, and the self-control he was exerting, as he was sitting near her, next to her, was significant.

At the very least, he had been able to get her chair before she stood from the table. He simultaneously took possession of her wrap draped over the back of her chair as she stood, so that he could help her on with it when they got to the main hall. This, was something Babers was not going to put a stop to, he thought.

Babington, on the other hand continued to attempt another conversation with Esther, but she seemed to answer each question or inquiry with a look or an expression, or a shake or a nod of the head, rather than actual words. It was only when they were separating in the lobby that she finally uttered, “good-night, Mr. Babington,” and walked away before he could say anything back. Either that, or he had been too stunned to speak after watching her walk, balanced on her toes, in her heels, through the maze of the dining room, and across the slippery marble floors. She moved like a cat. Everything she did seemed to pull him in even further. As far as he was concerned, this was just the beginning.

Sidney had held on to her wrap as long as he could. He watched as she hugged Esther good bye. He thanked Esther for allowing them to join them, which got him an icy glare in return, before she said, “It was good to see you Sidney, I hope it continues in that vein in the future.” Then she gave one last genuine smile to Charlotte, before briefly saying good night to George, and then returning back up the stairs. George was transfixed with watching Esther, so it finally gave him the opening he had been waiting for.

He tilted his head with a grin and held up the wrap in his hand, she smiled at him, and said “thank you,” quietly. Unfolding it with a gentle flick, he grabbed both ends in a fluid motion, like he had done that every day of his life. She smiled and turned so that her back was facing him. He approached slowly, hoping not to miss a second, and gently placed the wrap on her shoulders and she pulled the loose ends closer to her. He then placed his hands on her shoulders to keep the wrap in place, and gently brushed his hands down her upper arms. It was the first time they had touched since their introductory handshake, or that tiny squeeze he had given her arm, and that hardly counted. He could feel her intake of breath as he laid his hands over the wrap and over her shoulders. It took all he had not to run his thumb along the nape of her neck, instead he leaned a little closer so that he could take in her warmth, and gently inhaled the orange blossom scent she was wearing. She slowly turned around, looking at him. He was sure that she was feeling as affected by the physical touch as he had, she was just a little better at hiding it.

She held his gaze as his arms dropped to his sides from her arms, “Thank you, Sidney,” she said softly. He smiled wider now.

“Thank you for letting us intrude on your time with Esther, tonight.” He said with a smile, hoping that she hadn't felt that it was. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he had observed with her sitting next to him for more than two hours. So much he was feeling that he even couldn’t put words to. So, his smile was the best he could do at this moment. She looked away from the intensity his eyes returned.

“Not an intrusion," she smiled at him shyly. "It was fun… despite some… minor glitches...” Her eyes teased him, and he was forced to look down for a small quiet laugh at the joke.

“Yes. Esther has always spoken her mind. I would not expect anything different.” He said with a smile. “Will you be at work tomorrow? I know Arthur said he would be there.” Looking at her hopefully.

“Oh yes, so much more work to do, experiments to run. Why?” She asked.

“Something I wanted to talk with you and Michael about.” Trying to get back to what he had wanted to talk about earlier.

“Oh, yes!” Her eyes brightened. “Something with Diana?” She queried.

“Yes, perhaps I could text you tomorrow? See when you and Michael are there, and Diana and I could meet you?” He asked hopefully.

“I think that would be quite nice.” She smiled, and it seemed that she was practically effervescent at the thought of a planned meeting tomorrow.

“Good! Wonderful. I’ll tell Diana, and get back with you tomorrow then?” He asked as his smile grew.

“Yes, tomorrow then.” Equaling his smile in return. She then said good bye to George and turned, walked out the door, and into the awaiting black sedan.

The drive to Babington’s home was not very long. He had built a modern, energy efficient home on some land a little further north along the coast from the refurbished Georgian homes of Sanditon. If he had wanted something traditional, he would have returned to the family seat near Salisbury. This house was all his, built from the money he had earned himself, and had nothing to do with his title or his entailed estate. It allowed his indulgence in architecture and superior engineering, and computer advancements, as everything from the lights, the sprinklers on the postage stamp lawn, the motorized blinds on the windows in the house that were all facing south during the peak heat of the day, the charging station for his Tesla in the garage, to every single large and small appliance, lock, and door, were controlled by a wall panel, as well as his tablet, and the phone in his pocket. No expense or idea had been spared in the design of his home, and he relished in its complicated simplicity.

“How long have you known her?” He asked Sidney, or almost demanded.

They had barely pulled through the gates that topped the hill, at the end of drive from the club. Before turning onto the road. Sidney answered, knowing already who he was asking about. “Esther? I suppose most of my life. My parents knew hers. Or at least her mother and step-father. The families were close at one time. She was between Arthur and me in school.” Then he kept driving toward the road that met up closer toward the beaches, but would eventually take him north of town.

“I cannot, in all the years I have known you, believe that you have never introduced me to her?!” He was almost hurt that Sidney could not have foretold that Esther was the woman he was destined to meet.

“I don’t understand, Babers. Why would I know, or suspect that you would want to meet Esther Denham?” He was annoyed that his friend expected mind-reading capabilities from him.

“She is Exquisite!” He exclaimed.

“She is also as mean as a snake, when provoked, if you didn’t catch what happened at dinner tonight?!” Sidney was not going to let him off so easily after he had been giving him such a hard time over Charlotte.

“Beautiful, intelligent, and she certainly has your number Sidney,” and he laughed heartily at his friend’s expense, especially since he had needed to control himself tightly all through dinner.

Sidney scowled. “I daresay she has yours as well. I saw her ignoring you by the end of the meal. What on earth did you say to her?”

“I basically asked for her number, and invited her out to dinner. For a date.” George said it, like it was not an unusual thing to do. He asked many women out on dates over the years, and they usually accepted.

Now it was Sidney’s turn to laugh. “Oh, George! I am afraid you will be in for quite a disappointing rejection there! She is not a woman who dates many men. I don’t know the whole of it, but when her brother practically bankrupted the entire family, her trust with men evaporated. Or, so Mary told me once.”

“You mean Edward?! I don’t know how I didn’t piece that together.” He said almost to himself. “Edward Denham, that odious prick is her brother?!”

“Step-brother. She was adopted, which is why she carries the name, but she’s definitely more of a Denham than he ever was. Disgraceful, honor-less, blow hard that he is… No, her step-father quite doted on her I believe, especially after her mother passed away… Very sad, actually.” And he was suddenly thinking of Esther with a little more sympathy _and_ empathy than before.

“But Edward doesn’t own the house? So, it’s not an entail?” Now, even more curious.

“No, an ancestor, generations ago, purchased the home, but it was with money from a marriage to a wealthy widow, so, not entailed with the title. The house has passed mostly through the female line of descendants since then. Unless there is only a male heir, I believe. No, the property is still in Lady Denham’s name. The businesses ‘rent’ the property from her, I believe.”

“Interesting. All very modern, from so many generations ago.” Babington mused, thinking. “So, she has no desire or need for a man, if she does not want one, that is certain. No need to ‘marry rich’, or even look for it.” He said with a small smile, as he thought to himself. He would have to win her on his _own_ merits, and that, he enjoyed.

With a chuckle, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, George, but women haven’t _needed_ to ‘marry rich’ for some time now. Although, some of them still do.” And his voice lowered and wandered off, before he shook his head, refusing to think of the viper in his own past after having such a lovely dining companion tonight. And then smiled thinking of Charlotte before launching after Babers again. “No, in case you didn’t notice, in all of your _drooling_ observations of Esther Denham this evening, she seems to be more than capable of handling things on her own.”

“No. Quite! She is truly unlike any woman I have ever met.” Sidney recognized that look on Babers’ face. It was one he himself had been wearing for just less than two weeks now.

“Barbara Stanwyck?” He asked in a clipped staccato voice, teasing him mercilessly.

“What? Oh! Ha ha, very funny Sidney. You are _such_ the comedian! I don’t know how you _never_ ended up on the stage!” He answered flustered, but also annoyed.

“Just… be careful… Make sure she’s not the recipient of your life-insurance policy.” His eyes shifted from the road to watch his friend’s reaction with more amusement than was really warranted. But he couldn’t resist, after the last few days he’d had, and George's demands.

“ _Really_ insufferable when you are like this!” Babington was not happy being made fun of, especially when the comparison between the woman he met tonight, and the femme fatale character-type were so clearly obvious, suddenly.

“Dammit Sidney, she is incredible! I do not care what you think or how you expect this to turn out.” He was still angry, but refused to let Sidney’s views on the matter deter him.

“You are my friend Babers, I am just giving you vital information… and careful life-planning advice.” He really had to try not to laugh at his own joke, but it was impossible.

At this, George knew he had been boxed into a corner, and nothing he could say would alter this situation. But it did not change his motivation, or his desire to see her again. As soon as possible, if that could be managed.

“Do you think Charlotte might help me there? With Esther.” He finally broke the silence as they got nearer to his house.

Sidney shrugged a little. “Perhaps. Charlotte likes you. She liked you before she liked me.” He said looking at his friend with a smirk, reminding him that he was still his closest friend, and knew his value. “I’m sure it would take some… delicate balancing… but it couldn’t hurt to ask.” He paused for a moment. “Will you present with your _usual_ tactics with this one?”

“I’ve been pondering that.” He answered.

“Large arrangement arriving for Ms. Denham tomorrow?” Sidney asked with another glance at his friend,

“I was thinking… Peonies.” He said.

***

Charlotte had the flat to herself when she arrived home. She got a large glass of water and brought it with her to her room. She sipped and started to get ready for bed. Thinking about everything that had happened at dinner, she wondered if it was as hard for Sidney to be friends and take things slow as it was for her. Tonight, really hadn’t been planned. It was just a confluence of events that led to them having a meal together in the most elegant location in town. It had definitely felt like a date, except that it wasn’t. She kept going back to what he had said to kick Esther off his heels. It sounded like he meant it. And if that were true, then his admiration of her was more than she had originally thought, or even dared to hope. She wasn’t sure if she had felt the same as he did. He certainly did something… chemical... to her. That was unmistakable. And he was funny and charming when they had talked. He was clearly intelligent. She was just thinking,… ‘how much of what I feel is purely physical attraction?’

There was a very, impossible to ignore, quality about him. She had felt it, before she could even see his face when he accosted her in the hallway that first day, she thought with a small laugh. Something in his bearing, his confidence, his physical self-control. She had seen it again, in his car, driving to the track the other day. An intense focus that made his reflexes fire with the speed of electrical circuits. All drivers train their hand eye coordination, they even have special equipment to help them do that, but this felt entirely natural, not trained. But maybe that was the gift. Maybe all drivers had that, she wondered, and she had just not experienced it up close before. Maybe it was her own hyper-sensitivity to his physical presence. She sighed audibly to herself just thinking about it.

The feel of his hands on her shoulders had practically made her melt into the floor tonight, and thinking about it now, brought the same sensations to her skin where he had touched it through her wrap just half an hour ago. She probably had too much wine, she admonished herself. But at this point she didn’t care. She released the twist in her hair, and changed to a set of pajamas before washing her face, cleaning her teeth, and sitting down on her bed. She would be completely sober again tomorrow when she would see him again. The thought of a planned meeting set the butterflies loose in her stomach again. She sipped more water hoping that might calm the sensation, but the excitement of knowing he was going to see her tomorrow, and had asked to see her tomorrow, and the smile on his face when they had made the plan, only increased the number of butterflies present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second time I have referenced Barbara Stanwyck. The movie in question is "Double Indemnity." It's a classic Film Noir from the 30s, and the basic plot is that she seduces a man, and then convinces him to push her husband off a train to kill him. Also, the title refers to a clause in his life insurance policy, that if he suffers death from an extenuating accident-like a train accident- the policy doubles the amount of money left to his widow.


	20. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your great comments! It has been a busier than usual weekend, and this one took more time than I had planned. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> *Talk of cancer near the end*

Chapter 20

Plans

“Sidney, I _do_ _hope_ you remembered that you are picking me up tomorrow.” Georgiana had rung early, knowing he would be up. She had a natural authority to her when she spoke, and a hint of condescension. The condescension was all hers, the authority thing she had inherited from her father, in addition to his money.

“Of _course_ , I remember, Georgiana.” He hadn’t, and was glad for the reminder, somehow, he had missed the alert on his phone with the days practically running together. It didn’t help that it coincided with testing week. Or, the fact that he’d had a publicity “event” in the news, and was also probably on his way to becoming a bigger fool than he had ever been, when it came to a relationship with a woman.

“I’ll be ready to leave after breakfast. I know it will take time away from all your _precious_ training, so tell Diana I’ll make you run up and down the stairs when I get home.” She said it gleefully, loving to tease him. He made it so easy, she thought. “You do still have Phyllida’s address, yes?”

“Hmm, not sure, better send it to me. Did you have a good visit?” He had forgotten about picking her up, and on which day, but he did not want her to know that. Tomorrow was the day G would be coming back home from visiting her friend in London for the first part of their Half-term break. It had made more sense with him needing to drive to Brands-Hatch every day, that she actually had a break somewhere, since she would not have gotten much of one in his house.

He listened and she talked about the shopping the girls had done, and how she needed to buy a new suitcase to put everything in. “Didn’t you buy a new suitcase the last time you visited Phyllida? For the exact same reason? Do you do anything but shop when you’re there? Museums, galleries, plays, shows, there is so much to do in London.” He wasn’t sure how pleased he was with Phyllida and her family right now.

“Well, we did some of that...” She said unconvincingly, but he cut her off.

“Which means you saw those things through the window of a car, as you rode past.” He said clearly annoyed.

“Possibly…?” She didn’t want to say it, but there were quite a few things they had done besides shopping, but none of them were listed in Sidney’s suggestions.

He inhaled slowly. Helping a teenager as her guardian had been more and more difficult the closer, she got to independence. She was turning 19 in April, and then he was still in charge of her money, and essentially her, until she was 21. Or, at least she would get part of it, and the rest when she turned 25. He stopped.

“Wait! _Where_ exactly were you when you bought this ‘ _new piece of luggage_?’” He waited and there was no answer. “Georgiana?!” His voice was deep and she knew she would have to answer.

Meekly, she answered, “Goyard… But Sidney, it’s _very_ well made, it has a sturdy construction with leather trim, it’s not anything ridiculous like alligator or anything like that, but it _is_ a special edition and not something you can get all the time, and it rolls, and it’s not like a trunk or anything, plus it’s impossible to buy them online, you really have to be in the store, and it matches the other pieces I bought before,...” She was rambling to fill space in the hope that he wouldn’t explode, or ask any more questions.

“Two more questions… 1, how large?”

“Large.” She answered vaguely

“2, was it over, or under 10,000?” He felt that he already knew the answer, but wanted her to admit it.

“Over…” it was very soft. But she answered, she thought. She could practically hear the steam in his ears at this information.

He knew, that if her father were still alive, he probably would have taken her there himself, and bought her an entire set of luggage and trunks, plus more. But he felt that he needed to give her _some_ limits. Some idea toward a level of, if not frugality, then responsibility or restraint. Not an easy task with a teenager who has known nothing but almost instant gratification her entire life. He didn’t want her blowing through her 1.3 billion before she was 40. It was sometimes exhausting.

“So, I suppose I _have_ to drive the Range Rover to pick you up? With your new, _very_ large, _very_ expensive piece of luggage, and everything else that you were already bringing?” He wasn’t really expecting an answer. He was annoyed, now he did not have a choice. And she knew how much he hated to drive that car on the highways. He ran his hand through his hair. “Well you better send me that address. It will take me twice as long to get there, and with three times the petrol.”

“I will, I promise!... Thank you, Sidney. And thank you for letting me come up here instead of sitting in Sanditon the whole time.” She did mean it, but it had a lot more to do with being in London, than avoiding Sanditon.

Another long slow inhale. “Yes, yes. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. We will have a lot to talk about so the ride home won’t be _quite_ so miserable.” He smiled, he knew that she hated talking about school, her grades, and her future life choices. But he also wanted to tell her about Charlotte. If she was going to torture him, he would return the favor. But he had forgotten for a moment…

“ _Yeees_!” She said deviously. “You still have to tell me _all about_ those pictures, _all over_ the internet. My alerts were practically burning a hole in my phone. I _must_ say, some of my friends were rather sad to see that you might be ‘off the market’, as it were. I simply informed them that you _invented_ the market, so that was _highly_ unlikely.” Smirking through the ether and into his ear.

“ _Definitely_ a conversation for tomorrow, Georgiana.” Eager to tell her about Charlotte, but also annoyed that he had been a topic of conversation among a dormitory’s worth of teenage girls. It didn’t help that she had thought him incapable of anything that might be considered serious, with a woman anyway. But as long as she had known him, that was mostly what he had shown her.

“Yes, tomorrow! Kisses!” and a smooch sound as she clicked off the call. She had said that just to get her friends, who were also visiting with Phyllida in London, swooning while she was talking with Sidney. At first, he was confused by the very sweet endearment, then realized later that she must have had an ulterior motive, and it might be better if he didn’t know what that was.

He went back to his work out with Diana. She was having him work with plate weights that she hung from a strap that also wrapped around this head. He laid with his upper body off the weight bench, and held position to stabilize and train the muscles in his neck and shoulders. It was really the best way to prepare for the g-forces he endured on the track. He switched positions to work all sides, and then they started to work with the resistance bands for strengthening, as well as keeping his muscles flexible. Building up _too_ much muscle would only make his job harder, not easier. He had talked with Diana, and told her of how the dinner the night before had gone, and how he wanted to find the Heywoods today to tell them of their idea.

“It sounds like you had a good time.” She smiled, and she wasn’t teasing him, she was mostly surprised, and happy to be so. She had seen first hand the effects of Eliza’s betrayal, and his years of ‘aiming low’ in the area of relationships. The fact that he even seemed interested in someone like Charlotte was a very good sign, in her opinion.

He stopped after finishing his set of reps, a little breathy from the work, and smiled. “Yeah, it was a good time. Esther was, well, less than welcoming. But I can’t say that I blame her. Her devotion to Charlotte is admirable. We had some uncomfortable moments, but I hope I can prove myself to her.”

“Which one? Charlotte or Esther?” She said smiling. Now, she was teasing him a little.

“I think, _both_ right now,” he said with a smile and a light laugh. They appear to be very close, but of course, Charlotte is my first thought. Hopefully Esther will understand that I am not here to play games. I would never let her dictate my relationship with Charlotte, however that evolves, but I know Charlotte values her opinion.”

She nodded. “I am glad to hear that.” And then she motioned for him to continue with his work. “And, I agree that taking this one slowly is a wise idea. Give yourself time. Sometimes old baggage has a way of coming up unexpectedly. Not just for you, but for her as well… You never know.”

He hadn’t even thought of that before. The ‘Eliza’ experience had shown itself more often recently, even last night, almost like a PTSD flashback. But he hadn’t even thought about the experiences she had in her own past. That was an unknown entity to him, and with that, he had no idea what she had experienced in relationships before. Food for thought, and definitely a topic for a later conversation.

***

Charlotte made Michael a double espresso, with a side of ibuprofen for breakfast. He had apparently had a _very_ good time at the pub, and needed some extra help with his headache, and dragging feet in the morning. He also seemed to be bonding with more of the engineers and mechanics crew, which was nice for her to see. She had moved to her best friend’s hometown, so she was not in a situation to feel alone in that regard. Plus, as a race engineer, it helped to get as many people on your side. Or, at least not against it, in the garage for his work.

He mumbled something unintelligible as he sat at the table, and she placed a large bottle of water in front of him with a, “for later,” as his instructions. 20 minutes later, he started to feel more alert, his headache had shifted from a clang to a gentle thump, and he felt a little less dehydrated.

“I hope you will recover soon. We are supposed to meet with Sidney and Diana today.” She told him.

“We are? When did that happen?” He was confused, and everything was still spinning a little.

“Sidney asked last night.” His name was still making her stomach flip every time she said it, and hoped that it would end soon. It would be impossible to avoid saying it at work, were she really needed to focus

“Sidney and Diana? Why?” He knew he was really going to struggle today.

“Not sure, an idea Sidney had that he asked Diana to help with.” She answered. She didn’t really know what it was about, but she also didn’t care if it meant she knew she would see him today. She turned away from him and toward the sink before she allowed the small smile to form on her mouth. Inhaling and composing herself, “So get yourself cleaned up. Eat something, whatever you can stomach, and get ready for work.” She finished brightly.

She was far too cheerful in the morning, he thought. Especially about getting to work, but this was Charlotte, he reminded himself. Work, was what had always made her happy. He followed her instructions, so that she would simply stop talking, and leave him to his hangover in peace.

Sidney texted Charlotte once he was showered and dressed. He and Diana had agreed to meet at headquarters, after Diana went to back to her house to get her research that Sidney had started and she had multiplied, exponentially. In fact, she wasn’t finished yet, but what she had should be a good start, she thought.

S: Good morning. Diana and I will be in the building in an hour or so. Is Michael there with you?

C: Good morning to you too. Yes, Michael and I are leaving now.

S: Great! See you soon.

Once they had gotten settled at work, Michael was going over some of the data from James’ car, and also comparing it with Crowe’s from the afternoon, and taking some notes to talk to Charlotte about. Charlotte was doing some work with Arthur, comparing information from similar settings with all three drivers.

S: We’re here, is now a good time to come see you?

C: Yes, of course.

She went to get Michael, and they were working with Arthur when Diana and Sidney emerged from the door marked “Stairs.” She was trying not to stare at him and also trying not to smile too hard, and thankfully, Diana came forward and took charge.

“Morning, Heywoods. All well today? Oh Michael! You look tired, are you not sleeping well?” She furrowed her brows, skipping past her first question once she had seen the paler than usual skin and under-eye circles Michael was wearing this morning.

“Just a little too much Ale last night. I’ll be right as rain soon enough,” he said. She reached into her small cross body bag she had with her, and handed him a small Ziploc bag with powder in it, almost like it was a drug deal, if someone didn’t know her any better.

“Mix that with a bottle of water and drink it.” It was not a request, and after she had helped Charlotte last week, Michael was not going to question her. “Now, where can we go over this in quiet?” She motioned to the overstuffed three ring binder in her arm that neither Michael nor Charlotte had noticed before.

“My office?” Charlotte said, and scanned the three faces for confirmation.

“That should work perfectly,” Diana said.

Michael had gone to get the insisted upon bottle of water, and was mixing the packet into it as he walked into Charlotte’s office. That way Diana would witness that he was following her directions, and started sipping from the bottle. Diana mentioned that a table would help, and Charlotte went to get a chrome and glass end table between the loveseat and one of the chairs, and placed it in the middle. Then she and Michael sat on the small sofa while Diana and Sidney each took a chair. The door was already closed, and it was surprisingly quiet.

“Sidney, you thought of this, and really you two, it’s brilliant, so I hope you think so too. Why don’t you tell them about it?” And Diana looked at her brother to take the initial lead.

“Yes, well, you know, I think, that Diana helps with not just my meal planning, but also preparation. Here, I took a photo of my fridge so you could see what I’m talking about.” And he opened his phone and showed them the very simple photo of a very regimented, organized refrigerator, and freezer with juices, shakes, veg, fruit, and meals lined up like soldiers, labeled and pre-portioned. “You see, this helps to keep me on my plan, it’s all prepared, we, Diana and I make these things once or twice a week, depending on what she wants me to work on. Umm, and here is where we would like your opinion.” And he looked over at Diana, and she gave him a single nod. He seemed uncharacteristically nervous.

“You see, we did some research, and there is a lot of evidence that diet and nutrients, can have a great affect with helping cancer patients.” He bit his lip, he did not want to intrude on family matters, but he thought this could be really important. “There’s a lot of evidence-based research on vegan eating, adding specific foods, and vitamins and minerals, to not only help fight the cancer, but to help with nutrient loss through lack of appetite with Chemo-therapy, as well as what the chemo itself does to the body.” He paused, and put his fingers on the binder in front of them. “As you can see, Diana has compiled a lot of information, and research, and if you would let us, we would like to help.”

Diana stepped in to help explain, and their eyes shifted from Sidney to her. “Yes, if you think your parents would _allow_ us to help. We would like to do something like what Sidney and I do for him. Portioned meals, easy to eat, fresh juices, and containers with the right combinations of the types of foods Sidney was mentioning. It would be easy to have things in the freezer, and fridge, just like I do for him. Then take them out and heat them, or let them thaw and make greens smoothies, which are supposed to be very beneficial. Adding alkaline water to his diet, and _mushrooms_ , are particularly helpful. I found an organic mushroom farm not very far from here, where they could ship things directly to your parents. But I would like to be able to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Heywood, and explain the hows and whys of all of this. And then we would help to make the meals, and have them delivered or shipped, or whatever they would choose. Every week or every two weeks, depending on the traveling schedule coming up.” She paused and looked at them.

Charlotte blinked and looked at both of them, Michael looked like he was processing what they had said. They Charlotte picked up the binder. It was full of articles, medical journal publications, charts, lists of different resources, anecdotal information from former patients, actual meal plans, and lists and lists of foods and how and when to combine them. She looked up at Diana and Sidney. “You did… _all_ of this?” and flipped through more of the pages. “ _You_ did all of this… for us? For our _father_?” She paused. “I don’t know what to say…” she was floored.

“I suppose we could start with, thank you.” Michael smiled at them. He always had an ease about him. A genuineness that could not be mistaken for anything else. He always knew how to cut to the quick of something. “I don’t know what my parents would say, we would have to talk to them. They are independent people, but this is not the time for pride to get in the way of highly skilled help.” And he looked at Diana with a grin and a nod, and she smiled back.

“What’s the use of all the work I do, if I don’t get to use it?” She said it with a smile, and in a way that implied, that doing this for their family would not be a big deal. But everyone else in the room knew otherwise.

Charlotte was still skimming the information, looking at medical journal articles, published research charts, the lists of different foods. She was trying to piece everything together that had just been handed to her. Like she was speed reading expecting an exam to start at any moment. After a few more minutes she paused, and looked up at them. “I would like very much if you would help my father, Diana. If they need convincing, I will handle that.” She said it as if it were a done deal. And Michael knew that if it came to that, Charlotte would indeed deliver. Then she smiled at them, almost a little emotional. “I cannot believe how much work you have already done on this.” She said shaking her head, and looking at the pages in front of her.

“Well, there are a lot of books on the subject, and different theories, so it’s not new, but not everyone tries it or has the means, or the help to make it happen. How many siblings do you still have at home?” Diana asked.

Michael let out a small chuckle. “Four littles, and two big.” He said, smiling as he thought of them. “But Timothy is only 20, he just moved back, and Alison is 18 and still in school. But they are helping with the business, and with the other four, and helping mama and dad.” Saying all of that made him face the amount of work and stress they must all be feeling. “They do have a housekeeper/cook, Anna, she’s been with us for years, and few groundskeepers who help with the maintenance of the property. But Anna, she has her hands full enough just feeding the rest of the family, and keeping up with the house. And mama is busy looking after dad and I’m sure can’t help as much as she used to…” He looked at Charlotte, “This could actually be really helpful to them. They wouldn’t have to worry about what dad was eating, or if what he needed or wanted would be ready for him at the right time. Or if it was the best thing for him. The right thing would always just _be_ there, waiting for him.” For the first time in months, Michael finally felt some hope, in regards to his father’s illness. He hadn’t allowed himself to feel that way before.

Charlotte had watched Michael as he spoke, and thought, there was nothing about this that did not make sense. It seemed a little complicated, and yet would help to make things so much simpler. “I’ll ring them today.” She was determined. She looked at Sidney, and he seemed relieved that they were welcome to their interference into personal family health issues. She was focused, and she really wanted to talk to her parents as soon as she could. But, in Sidney’s gaze, she could feel how he much he wanted to help, and she smiled at him, and said, “Thank you, Sidney. Thank you for thinking of this, for thinking of us.”

He wasn’t sure If the sensation he was feeling was pride, gratitude that she accepted their help, or if his heart was simply building up to explode inside his chest. He watched her as she spoke with Diana, and asked her questions about what type of plans she would like to implement. Michael also had some questions, and Diana was able to answer all of them, giving them the information, they would need to explain it all to their parents. Diana said she would leave the binder with Michael and Charlotte so they could go over it. Charlotte had never been an overly emotional person, but in this moment, she could not help but give Diana a small hug, which fortunately, Diana was happy to accept. She finally turned to Sidney.

“So, this is what you were trying to talk about last night? How did you come up with this?” Her eyes were soft, as was her voice. She had felt a type of release, a release of hope, once she had hugged Diana.

“One of the other drivers, years ago, his father was ill, and it was something he had talked about. It was something they added to his treatment that he was having in Germany. I heard last week, one of your engineers asking Michael about how the radiation treatments were going, so I knew that your father was dealing with the same thing. So, I just put two and two together…” He shrugged slightly.

“Thank you, Sidney. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, to Michael.” She resisted the overwhelming urge to throw her arms around his neck and hug him even tighter than she had Diana. It was too soon, and there was a wall of windows leading to the engineering floor right behind her.

“Well, hopefully they will agree and we can get started on it right away.” He smiled, he wanted to be optimistic for her, but he also knew that cancer is an ugly beast, and the treatments were equally harsh to fight it. “I suppose we should leave you both to ring your parents. Let us know what they think, yes?” It was directed at Charlotte, and she nodded in response with a smile. Diana and Sidney left so the other two siblings could talk.

“I say you ring them right now Lottie. Or we can Facetime, and both talk to them.” Michael suggested.

The two of them set up Charlotte’s phone on her desk, and made the Facetime call to their mother. She would be the one most likely to convince their father, but she brought her phone to him so they could all talk together about it. They asked a lot of questions, and were a little wary of trusting someone they had not even met. But Charlotte held up the binder where they could see it, she pointed out the research that Diana had done, and Sidney had suggested. She didn’t miss when her father’s eyebrows rose in a questioning look at Sidney’s name. He still was not sure about this young man, and what his intentions were, if any, toward his daughter. But with Charlotte’s own scientific knowledge, and her unrelenting persistence, he finally agreed to “give it a try.” A collective breath was released from the other 3 Heywoods on the call, and Charlotte promised to get back to them once the logistics could be arranged.

She immediately texted Sidney and Diana, remembering that she already had Diana'a contact information, and started a new group text.

C: He says he’ll do it! 😊

D: Excellent, so happy to hear it!

S: Yes, very good news.

It was simple, just confirmation of a new plan, but it opened a doorway which they all could actually feel like they were doing something to help, even at a distance. And Sidney could show that she meant more to him than just a passing fancy. What mattered to her, also mattered to him, and he would do whatever he could to show her that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not planning on delving too far into types of cancer, or more invasive cancer treatments. I would rather not risk bringing up anyone's past experiences with that. 
> 
> Also, my mother had cancer, and these were some of the ways my family helped her fight it, and it really became a group effort to make it happen. She is still currently in remission, but no longer follows the very strict diet she had been on during her treatment.


	21. The Georges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title: This chapter focuses mostly on George and Georgiana. Thank you so much for all the kudos and lovely comments!

Chapter 21

The Georges

After the successful facetime with the parents, Charlotte and Michael got back to work. Just before Charlotte and Arthur were going to go to lunch together, she felt the buzz of her phone alerting her to a phone call. A selfie, from 4 years ago, Charlotte and Esther right after they moved-in to their flat near Southampton University, popped up on the screen. Esther’s contact profile photo. “Hello, love, how are you today?” Charlotte was hopeful and cheerful, and hearing from her friend could only be another good thing to happen this morning.

“What did you tell him?” She asked. She was calm, but also clearly annoyed.

“Tell who? Sidney?” Charlotte practically whispered his name so no one would overhear, but was confused by the question.

“NooOOooo. That... George Babington.” Esther barely spit out his name, and was really not being very helpful, for a person wanting an answer.

“No, I haven’t seen him yet today. Why, what’s going on? You seem… angry? But, I’m not really sure...” Charlotte just wanted her to get on with it.

“He sent me flowers. A _HUGE_ arrangement of flowers, in a _REAL_ vase, not one of those cheap florist ones… I’m actually concerned that it might be an antique.” She said a little nervously. Real meant valuable, and valuable meant serious. That was not what she was looking for, nor did she encourage him last night. Not even in the least.

“Reeallly?” Charlotte was smiling. “What kind of flowers? A mixed bouquet, or the very tasteful single type of flower displayed to excess?” She said it almost ‘spritely’ and her smile got wider.

“Peonies, Charlotte. Pale, pink, Peonies. Probably two dozen, maybe more, I haven’t counted. It takes up an entire round table in my office.” She was somewhat overwhelmed.

“Nooo?! How did he know? He couldn’t have, could he?!” Esther’s favorite. Favorite flower, and in her favorite shade. There was an entire section of the garden near the side of the Denham Club devoted to them, so that she could have as many as she wanted in the spring. Charlotte was stunned. Her eyes were wide with this news, and also a little admiration for George. He had played that very well, and probably didn’t even know it. “Was there a card?!” Her eyes were twinkling now.

“Yes, of course there was.” She made Charlotte wait.

“Come now, Esther, stop stringing me along!” This was not an everyday occurrence in either of their worlds.

“'Esther, enchanted to have made your acquaintance last night. I hope to repeat the experience soon, George Babington.'” She had to admit, he did have flair, as well as exceptional manners. “I don’t know how he plans to reach me unless stalking me at work is his next step. I wouldn’t give him my number last night.” She said, in her signature droll tone.

“He asked for your number?! Why didn’t you give it to him? I know you like to ‘test’ your men, but I am telling you George Babington is not a horrible, misogynistic, neanderthal.” She would not let her off that easily. She waited for a response. “I would be happy to pass your contact along… if you would like.” She added lightly.

She was sounding far too much like the Fairy Godmother, for Esther tastes. “Charlotte, you know I do not cave quite so easily…I will think on it, but _definitely_ **not** today. Do you hear me?! Do not question my methods. They were established for a reason.” She had spoken.

“Fine, of course I will respect your wishes. But you should not dismiss him so easily. He is different, and clearly has excellent taste in flowers, vases, … _and women_. I cannot fault him for that! In fact, I believe it recommends him.” This sounded very promising. And Esther deserved to finally have some luck in the ‘relationship’ department.

“Well, good taste or not, it’s all far too early to tell. He may not even make it past the 3rd phase.” She would not eliminate her process for one George Babington.

“Well, he has definitely made it past phase one! I must say, I am quite impressed with his persistence. If he asks after you, what should I say?” She would be supportive, regardless of how much she wanted Esther to give him a chance.

“You can tell him you know about the flowers, but _only_ if he asks. _No_ phone number, _no_ dating history, _no_ family information, and _definitely no_ complimentary stories about me from our Uni days. I refuse to let you try to ‘sell’ me.” That should cover most things, she thought. This was an unusual situation she was finding herself in.

“Clearly you have already ‘sold’ yourself, and need no help from me in that department. Besides, I’m not very good at that type of skill. And love has nothing to do with logic, maths, or facts. Other than your phone number, and all the other things I’m not allowed to talk about, there isn’t much else left to say.” She was teasing her about her ‘rules,’ but that didn’t mean that it was inaccurate.

“You may, however, tell him how we met. Again, only if he asks. But that is all. Now, I have to go, Aunt is looking for me. Apparently, she’s been getting her assistant to take photos of her and the club to put on her Instagram account. She’s becoming more work than less, in her later years. Call me soon. I know that _Sidney Parker_ is still sniffing around your skirts. Anything significant or confusing, text, call, any time.”

“Yes, of course. We will talk soon.” She really wanted to tell her about this morning with Sidney and Diana, but she knew Esther already had enough on her plate. She would be able to tell her soon enough. “Bye, love.”

“Bye, darling.” Esther gave a small kiss noise and then the call was ended.

***

Sidney had taken his morning run, and was now showered, dressed in his slim black jeans, black pull on low ankle boots, and a grey pressed button up shirt. He always liked to look neat and polished, but when he was with Georgiana, he did try to look a little more on the ‘cool’ side. There is nothing like a teenage fashionista picking apart your wardrobe. Or at least, nothing as _annoying_ as a teenage fashionista picking apart your wardrobe. He thought he would at least attempt to skip that part of the upcoming morning. But as her tastes changed on an almost hourly basis, he never knew what kind of trap he might be walking into. He grabbed the keys to his black Range Rover, his vintage ray-bans, and checked the coat closet. He almost grabbed his chestnut suede jacket, and on second thought, he chose black leather instead. Many years ago, their father had taken an old store front, down the street from their family home, and turned it into a very discreet hidden garage for some of his cars. Upstairs was a flat rental, and the newer garage doors had been hidden by the clever use of some the original frontage of the building, as camouflage. It was a little over a block away from his terraced home, and he walked in that direction after he left his front door.

He punched in the code on the keypad to open the front door. Overhead lights came on automatically as the code was entered. It was here that he had his small collection of cars. Some had been gifts from engine suppliers that had worked with Parker Racing in the past, but most were of his own choosing. The Range Rover was a necessity, not his favorite, but if he had to have an SUV it would not have been any other make. Getting in, he pulled the car forward, pushed the automatic door opener programmed into the car accessory pad, and slowly pulled out of the ‘store’, onto the quiet side street.

The traffic to London was not bad in the beginning, but as it was a weekday, the congestion of cars on the road got worse as he made his way closer to the centre of the city, and the roads narrowed. He put on some news on the radio, but only listened to it long enough to get a short recap of the news from yesterday, and a weather report, then turned it off. The silence and quiet was what he needed to get some of his thoughts in order, before meeting the fast-talking, storm of energy he was picking up, along with her luggage. The address in Brompton Square in Knightsbridge was easy enough to find, and parking in front had also been easier than expected. He had been there before, but the terraced white homes all looked the same to him, and he could never remember which one it was.

He texted her that he was there. He really did not want to go up to the door and possibly be forced to go inside. Fortunately, she responded. Instead of him having to go inside, the troop of teenagers came out to see him, helping G with all her luggage. He pressed the button for the liftgate while he rolled his eyes and exited the car. The four giggling girls tumbled out of the door, with Phyllida clearly carrying the new luxury piece of luggage, lifting it down the few steps and rolling it toward where Sidney was now standing at the back of his car. Georgiana was right behind her with her other friends Polly and Isla. Georgiana came up to him, gave him his kiss on the cheek, and handed him her Goyard duffel bag and a plain large backpack. He put the items in the back, before turning and greeting the rest of her friends, and thanking Phyllida for hosting her for a few days. Each of the girls had another bag of Georgiana’s, the same color and pattern as the duffel, and now the new one. Two, looked similar, like carry-on trolleys but not the same size. He shook his head, as if she ever traveled commercial, or carried her luggage onto the cabin of a plane, he thought. The last, of course, was the new one. Larger, with different styling, and with two brightly colored joined stripes that ran straight up from the bottom to the top on the front of the piece. Only about 4 inches wide, with a break near the top, where the stripes skipped over her already painted-on initials GLL. Georgiana Lillia Lambe, before they continued up to the topmost seam. He looked at it, and then looked at her, as she conveniently turned away from him, to hug all her friends good-bye in spite of the fact they would see each other again in less than a week. They headed inside, waving their farewells, and Sidney stood there next to the new item, with an annoyed grin. Still waiting for her to turn around. She finally did when he started talking.

“So… you just ‘ _picked_ ’ this up, did you? And they just _happened_ to have your initials in custom colors already, _painstakingly_ , hand painted onto the front of the bag?” Sidney raised his brows at her waiting for whatever excuse she would come up with.

“ ** _Fiiiiine_**! I ordered it the last time I was here… But I was _extremely_ patient while I waited for it to be ready, _and_ until I could also come back to London to get it.” She had a syrupy sweet tone attempting to escape the expected lecture on attempting to live on more of a budget, and not choosing things just because they were pretty or trendy. But added in her defense. “Plus, you know all the traveling I’ll be doing with you this summer. It’s long past time that I have some _real_ grown-up luggage.”

He admitted to himself, that she might have had a reason for the purchase. “OK, I see your point. You _are_ almost 19. What I don’t like is you going around behind my back and then lying to me about it. We agreed, any purchases over 7,000 you would at least talk to me about. I understand, that your wardrobe is your life right now, but seeing as how you are still in uniforms most of the time, at least until June, it might be wise to slow it down. You’ll want completely different clothes in June anyway!” He shook his head. He already knew her pattern for seasonal, full-closet cleanses.

“I see what you mean… I will try and do better… I will.” She nodded, she could also see his point. He finally lifted the large piece into the back, pushed the button to close the lift gate, and pulled her into a bear hug.

“How are you?” He asked as he pulled his head back and looked down at her.

“I am doing well. This was a nice break from school, even if the girls are a little silly.” She had a distant look on her face and he furrowed his brows when he saw it, and stepped back to get a better look at her with his hands on her shoulders.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Oh, we can talk about it later. Let’s head back to that _sad_ little beach town we call home, shall we?” and her face changed to a teasing grin. “Besides, I have a feeling _you_ have much more to talk about than I do.” She raised her eyebrows and looked at him like he was definitely hiding something.

“Yes. Our sad little beach town, awaits.” And he walked over to her door to open it for her, where she nodded and smiled at him approvingly.

“Well done, big brother. I see you’ve been practicing.” And she tipped her head a little to the side and suppressed a laugh, but not the smile that came with it as she teased him. “Time to tell me _all_ about the cute little brunette.”

***

Georgiana and Reggie

Georgiana was just 3 years old when her mother died from a sudden illness that led to an infection. Reggie had been heartbroken, and the Parker family helped him get through the roughest early months. He had his only daughter, who shared her mother’s eyes to take care of, and he knew he could not do it alone. After the funeral, Reggie brought them both to stay in one of the terraced homes in Sanditon. He could not keep trying to fall asleep in the same bed every night, waking up expecting to see his Lillia next to him, after dreaming of her just moments before. There were too many memories in the large stately house in Kensington. It was the home they had bought together, hoping to fill the numerous bedrooms with children, and of course, a few nannies. They had loved the bustle of being in the center of London, and the events that went on around them, easily within their reach. The energy, the noise, and the opportunities were endless. After Lillia’s death, all Reggie wanted was quiet, and a long lonely beach to walk along early in the morning.

They left for Sanditon. The Kensington house was sold, packed up and emptied without Reggie and Georgiana ever stepping foot in it again. Georgiana spent almost every day with Arthur when he wasn’t in school. He was more than happy to play pretend at being the big brother to his young friend, helping her build sandcastles on the beach, and jumping over the low waves when the weather was warm. As well as the beach, G had spent most of her time in the Parker home during those dark early months. As did Reggie, when he wasn’t walking off his grief. Eventually, he found his way back from the darkness, invested money with some young tech entrepreneurs, and made an even larger fortune. Business kept his mind and body busy. He established the Lambe Foundation to help give some of his money away to charities. He established scholarships and grants in his late-wife’s name, and helped young technology developers all around the world get their start. Even when he and Georgiana eventually reestablished themselves in a sleek new Penthouse in London, they always returned to Sanditon, and their friends the Parkers whenever they could. Their extended family.

***

Georgiana was patiently waiting until they could remove themselves from the weekday work traffic and headed south before asking him all the questions she had. As soon as the traffic cleared and he was able to pay attention, she asked, “Soooo. This woman is your new Technical Director?”

“Yes, Charlotte Heywood, she came on with the partnership with Heywood Racing. I told you something about that, yes?” And he glanced at her to see how she was responding.

“Yes, you did. As I am still an investor, I appreciate your openness on that business partnership. Also, as an investor, I will say that I have some concerns with you dating a new member of staff.” And the look he saw when he glanced again, was raised eyebrows, and arms folded neatly in her lap.

“Well, as an investor, myself, I am happy to tell you that we are not dating… yet…” He was not going to lie, but he was not going to welcome a lecture from a 19-year-old who had just spent more than 10.000 pounds on what was clearly a custom suitcase.

“Yet…? Does she want to date you? I might question her intelligence and abilities as a Technical Director if she does.” She was not letting this go, nor was she going to let him off that easily. This was not the norm for Sidney.

He inhaled slowly, and then exhaled the same way. “Her intelligence and capabilities are one of the things that make her so… charming. At least to me. I understand your reservations. I have had some myself, but this is… not something I have been able to rid myself of.” His brows furrowed as he had to admit that meant it too. He had tried to not think of her, to not dream of her, to not run in to her at work, to not seek her out when he knew she was near. He had tried everything that had worked for him in the past. It wasn’t just her proximity at work; it was more than that.

“So, you have tried?” She said it, more as a confirmation than a question, as she watched for his reaction, a small nod. She then looked away from him and out the windshield. She was contemplating what he had said. “You said you’re not dating.” A small nod in return again, as Sidney focused on the road. “So, what does that mean? You’re just sleeping with her?”

“No, not that either,” not that he hadn’t thought about that at least 40 times a day for the last 7 days, and that was only when he was conscious. Seeing her in that skirt and sweater the other night, had only fueled his imagination. Finally, he opened up. “We talked. After the photos. Obviously, she wasn’t used to that sort of thing. We decided to work on being friends and then see where things go from there.”

She laughed as she said, “Friends?! Do you have any female friends? I mean you have me, but I’m more of an inconvenient responsibility, than a friend.” She was teasing him somewhat, but the strain between them had grown as she had. Not a father, closer to a big-brother, but with much more responsibility. It was a tight-rope they had been walking for a couple years.

He looked at her so that she knew he was serious. “Georgiana, I love you like I love Diana. You _are_ my sister. I know this is strange and difficult, and not many people can relate to it. But I _never_ want you to say or think that _ever_ again. I plan on being your brother/friend, or whatever you want to call it, for as long as you will let me.” He was stern, but she knew that he meant it.

She looked down and fiddled with the zipper pull of her fitted suede jacket. “I love you like a brother too, Sidney. At least I think I do. I never had one so I don’t really know.” Then her eyes twinkled, “But I do love you as much as I love Arthur.” And she smiled at him. He knew Arthur was one of her favorite people. Especially since they had already lost so many others that they loved.

He smiled back at her, “Well! That’s probably the nicest thing you have ever said to me, Georgiana. That, and that you 'didn’t hate my tux’ at that event in Monaco last year.” And he chuckled as she laughed at that last remark. She was definitely his severest critic, other than himself. She saw it as a way to keep his feet and his ego planted on the ground, and if someone had asked him, he would have said that her tactics usually worked.

She tacked back to the main subject, still smiling. “So… Charlotte Heywood. Tell me about her, then? Who is this woman who seems to have forced Peter Pan to grown up? Or, maybe, took the Bah Humbug out of Ebenezer Scrooge? Which one do you think?”

He grinned at her, “Probably a little of both.” He _had_ felt different since meeting Charlotte. It felt like a different perspective, all of a sudden. Maybe that had to do with her extreme mental acuity. She had forced him to see things differently just in the conversations he’d had with her. And it seemed, that he didn’t mind the change one bit. With those fuzzy feelings still surrounding him, he told Georgiana about her. How she had challenged him from the very beginning, surprised him with her tenacity and her wit, pushed him to do things differently in the car, pushed herself at work and inspired the rest of the department to do the same, and was also probably coming close to matching Georgiana as one of Arthur’s favorites. As he expected, she did not take well to that last bit of information, but would give her a chance if she had affected this much change in maturity with her guardian.

“Well, Arthur likes everyone, so I’m sure he is just being polite.” She said dismissing the thought that Arthur could ever possibly like someone more than her, other than romantically.

“Arthur told me if I ruin things with Charlotte, he would dispose of my dead body in the ocean. I’ve never heard him talk like that before… I’m sure it was an empty threat to keep me in line, but it was a threat from Arthur. He doesn’t usually talk that way.”

“Well, maybe he has finally decided to stand up to you. It’s one thing if you’re carrying on and it only affects you. It’s another thing if it affects everyone you work with and are _related_ to. Is this why you’re doing the ‘get to know you thing?’” She had hit the nail on the head.

“Yes, yes, and _yes_ … I think you are probably right on all accounts there, G. Speaking of your quick-witted intelligence…” She rolled her eyes, the conversation finally turned toward her, and she could hear the next part of what he was going to say before he said it. “Have you thought more about your plans for next year?”

“I am still thinking about what I have already told you. Possibly a gap year, but I feel like I am ready for what it is that I want to do. I’m sure it is not what you _want_ me to do, but I refuse to be miserable and work at something that holds no interest for me. No matter how good my grades and A levels are.” She was defiant. This was the same conversation they had been having for a year, at least.

“I know that you are doing very well in your art classes. Your teacher sent me an email right before the half-term break.” He knew she was gifted, and had an eye for composition and color.

“Does this mean that you will not stand in my way if I want to go to the London College of Fashion, or the Royal College of Art, or even The New School in New York?” She had been trying to get his support for her love for fashion, and her aptitude in visual art. Her ambition to be the next Karl Lagerfeld had not been a closely held secret. It had been something she wanted since before her father passed away. It was the only thing that she could never work on enough. There was always more that she wanted to do, more ideas that came to her. She just needed an education on how to apply it.

“It’s growing on me…” Was his response. “You know my concerns. Your fortune makes you vulnerable. I only want you to understand how to manage it, how to protect it. For you, for your future. And of course, for your father.” He did not want to invoke Reggie’s memory. He knew she had a lot more of her Antiguan mother in her, than her white, British father. But she was as smart as her father, and also had his legacy, whether she wanted to deal with it or not.

“I will take that into consideration.” She said with her typical, moderate amount of condescension.

“Thank you.” He said. They were almost to Sanditon at this point. He then added. “In fact, we have a ‘small project’ to work on while you’re here.” And he looked over at her with a grin. She seemed curious. “Aannd, you will get to meet Charlotte, as well as her brother Michael.”

“Sounds intriguing… Where exactly is this project taking place?” She asked, he seemed too satisfied with himself.

“The kitchen,” he answered. As expected, she rolled her eyes and scowled at the thought of spending time cooking or preparing food of any kind. That’s what takeaway and crisps were for. “I will _not_ use the stove, or the oven,” she said with finality.

“I’m sure we can find something else for you to do.” He was beaming, thinking of her working in the kitchen, well outside of her comfort zone. Once she knew what it was for, he was sure she would want to help. Loss. It helps you to want to soften the blow, or the burden, in the lives of other people. If it didn’t… then he thought, someone like that must have something broken inside of them. He would rather be on the opposite end of that, and he knew that G would too.


	22. Preparations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your great comments! And Thank you for still reading.

Chapter 22

Preparations

It was 2 days later, that Diana knocked on Sidney’s door early that morning. As he let her in, he helped her carry all her bags, that she had brought over. Bags of ingredients and charts with explanations on how to prepare the items. She also had a large box with an extra blender, food processor, measuring cups and spoons, and stacks of different sized containers, food storage bags, and bottles to portion everything they would make. The last thing she brought out was a label maker to finish each item. She pulled out Sidney’s blender, juicer, and some of his knives and cutting boards, and started to wash all the produce before everyone arrived to help do the work. He went to his office to start printing out charts, and information that he and Diana had worked on, to make the instruction packet.

Georgiana heard some of the commotion and had slowly wandered down the stairs in her slippers, fuzzy fleece pajamas, with a large oversized jumper she had pulled on to help keep her warm. She waved to Diana, half asleep still, and walked over to the espresso machine. She loaded it, and waited as it finally started to spit and push the foamy black coffee into the tiny cup she had put under the spout. She looked over her shoulder to see Diana looking at her. “Diana, I promise that I will _not_ over-caffeinate.” And raised her eyebrows until Diana broke her straight face into a smile. She then put a small amount of raw sugar into the cup, stirred it and walked to the large island in the kitchen where Diana was already drying and chopping some of her ingredients. She sat on one of the tall stools and gently blew the steam off the top of the cup.

“Diana,” Georgiana was looking at her, and could see the lists and charts and containers neatly laid out between the counters and the island. Diana looked up after she stopped moving the knife in her hand. “Sidney explained some of this to me, mostly it sounded like a way for him to spend time with Charlotte, and to get on her good side. But what exactly are we doing here today?” Her cup was starting to cool and she took a very small sip.

“It might have started out that way,” She smiled at Georgiana. “But I honestly think he wants to help. You see, Mr. Heywood found out he was sick after they had made the deal with Parker Racing. He was supposed to be here, to help with the new partnership. Instead, he’s at home, trying to get well, whilst Michael and Charlotte are now doing everything on their own. Except that they have some of their staff here with them as well. When people get very sick, very suddenly, everything changes.”

Georgiana nodded. “I think I understand. And you wanted to help…?” And Diana looked at her.

“Yes, I did.” She smiled. “I like them, they’ve worked very hard since coming here, and Sidney… Well, he just doesn’t do things like this lightly. He was… energized when he first brought the idea to me.” She paused. “Plus, we will start traveling in a few more weeks. This way, Charlotte and Michael can feel like they are doing something to help, even though they’ll be far from home.” She gave a small wistful grin.

“No, that makes sense.” She stood to go to one of the cabinets. “Diana, I need you to look away for a moment. I will be getting something out from this cabinet, and the last thing I want to do is remove the lovely smile from your face.” She smiled sweetly and batted her lashes until Diana rolled her own eyes, and then looked down at what she was doing. Georgiana reached up to retrieve the packaged pastry, after looking over her shoulder to watch Diana. She picked up her cup, and turned quickly for the hallway and the staircase. Before taking the steps, she yelled back “Eating and changing, then I’ll be _right_ back.”

Michael and Charlotte arrived at Sidney’s address. She hesitated a moment, looking at the row of immaculate stone covered terraced homes that overlooked the sea. She had barely seen the ocean since they had arrived, spending most of her time in the underground offices of the Engineering Department. The view of the lake had been calming on difficult days, but nothing compared to the wide-open horizon of the ocean.

G beat Sidney to the door when she heard the knocker fall against its plate. “I’ve got it!” She yelled back into the house. She flung the door open to see the two siblings. It was obvious. Similar large, dark brown eyes, similar light olive skin tones, He had dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. She did as well, but her biggest dimple was in her chin. They both smiled at Georgiana, and she welcomed them. “You must be the Heywoods, I’m Georgiana, or G if you’re in a hurry.” She said with a small twinkle in her eye. “Come in, Diana is already hard at work in the kitchen.

As they walked over the threshold Sidney came almost bounding out of a room further down the hallway. Georgiana turned and focused her eyes as she looked at him, examining his expression. He looked right past her towards the visitors, or more specifically the smaller visitor. “Hi, any trouble finding the place?” He asked them.

Michael answered, “No, not at all. Its lovely here. We haven’t had much of a chance to see the parts of Sanditon near the beach. Must be wonderful in warm weather.”

Georgiana answered, “It is, as long as you don’t mind sand in everything you own,” she added sardonically.

Sidney was sure that he had hardly heard a comment from her that wasn’t tinged with sarcasm, or irony since she had been home, but he had to remember what he was like at that age. “Yes, beaches _are_ sandy Georgiana. But they are also enjoyable.” He ended with a smile as he finally looked away from Charlotte, to gently scold his ward. He invited them to come in, and led them back to see what Diana was working on in the kitchen.

With her ever-efficient aplomb, Diana gave everyone a job. She was doing some cooking of whole grains on the stove. Georgiana was set to measuring and packaging, since she did not want to actually prepare any of the foods, and enjoyed using the label maker. Michael assisted Diana with chopping and steaming the veg. and assembling salads and raw snacks. She set Sidney to show Charlotte how they make the smoothies and juices and then packaging them in bottles.

Sidney did not know that Charlotte was nervous. She was biting her lips more than usual while standing next to him, working at the long counter that looked out from the back of his house, and to the view of the ocean. It was Friday, and she had been working late all week. She hadn’t seen him in a few days, as he had also been busy with his own preparations, and with Georgiana. A few cautious texts had been shared, but now she was beginning to doubt that he might want something more than friendship. She did not want to get her heart broken, and Sidney Parker would be very capable of that, she thought. It didn’t help that each time she saw him, he was clearly more handsome than the last time. Or that his smile brought out the brightness in his eyes, and his perfect white teeth. It also did not help that her mind, with its ability to think of all possibilities practically at once, was inundating her with all the probable negative outcomes.

What Charlotte didn’t know, was that Sidney had changed his shirt three times that morning, throwing the rejects onto his bed, which he never did. He had gotten up even earlier than usual so that he could run longer, and tried to get his nerves under control. He had finally settled on a black long sleeve T to wear with his slim dark jeans. Not too dressed up to work in the kitchen, but also complemented his physical assets. He had never had doubts about his physical appearance. Suddenly, he was now was scrutinizing things he had never paid any attention to. Some crow’s feet next to his eyes, were suddenly deeper, and there were more of them. The hair that topped his head was also not cooperating with the way he had wanted it to curl. Too much product later, he had to wash it out in his sink and start over. He finally gave up, and ran his hands through his hair one last time. Finally turning away shaking his head, and he was mumbling to himself what a fool he was. She was younger than him, almost 7 years, which had never bothered him with other women, so he could not understand why it was bothering him now.

Anyone looking from the outside saw something different. Which is what Georgiana was actually doing. Labeling did not require much brain power, and she was still texting and posting photos from her stay at home on her “fInstagram” account. She also put a couple on the official 'Georgiana Instagram' account, so that Sidney would not suspect how many accounts she actually had. She also may have taken a few candid photos of Charlotte and Sidney as they smiled at each other and blushed like tweens when their elbows or hands bumped while working at the counter. ‘Pitiful,’ She thought rolling her eyes. She had never seen him like this. He was behaving like someone who had never dated. Which made her think of someone special in her own life, and she smiled quietly to herself before sending a quick, emoji filled text. She quickly clicked another photo of the duo. She was no better than the pestering paparazzi, she thought, and practically tossed her phone down.

To help break the ice, Sidney asked Charlotte about what she and Arthur had been working on. Had they had any new ideas? Would they have the new parts ready to test in wind tunnel? He offered his input if they wanted it, and she accepted it right away, both for his expertise and the chance to work with him more. Talking about work seemed to pave the way for a more comfortable aspect between them. It also helped to distract him from her Orange Blossom perfume, which she had also worn the night they went to dinner. Except that it also reminded him _of_ the dinner, and how she looked, and the intimate things he had been trying not to think about all morning.

She asked about his training, and what the differences would be from the things he ate, versus what they were making right now. Mostly, she really wanted to hear him talk. She loved the resonance of his voice. It was deep and well controlled. But also had a gravelly sound sometimes, and his laugh was similar, but seemed lighter because of the way his smile changed his face. She could almost feel the bass in his voice in her own chest as he talked. And when he talked to her, she felt like the only other person in the room.

There was a slight lull in the conversation, and she asked him if George had said anything about Esther. Esther had specifically told her all the things she could not talk to Babington about. She never said anything about not talking about them to Sidney.

“Yes, he told me that he was thinking of sending her flowers. Did he?” He was also happy to have something else for them to talk about besides work.

“Yes, he did. A rather nice arrangement from what I understand. Does he usually do this?” She asked.

“Sometimes, but not always. He did spend some time thinking on it, that I do know.” He answered.

“Esther seemed to think that the vase may have been valuable. She seemed a little concerned about that.” Maybe she could get more information for Esther.

Sidney gave a small side grin. “Esther has very good taste, I would imagine she is probably right. Although I’ve never known him to do that before.” And he looked a bit to the side and his brows were definitely thinking. “She certainly made an impression on him. I don’t think that’s ever happened to him before.” And Sidney thought that he could relate equally to his best friend, and worked on holding back his own feelings as he talked to Charlotte.

Now Charlotte had her brows deep in thought. “I’m sure he is very well paid as your Race Engineer, but I hope he’s not extending himself too far for a bouquet of flowers.” She said with some concern, and as someone who always considered risk versus reward.

Sidney laughed at that comment, and she seemed confused by his reaction. Noticing her face even more in thought, he smiled and said, “You don’t know? I guess that’s how he wants it, and I can’t blame him really... George Babington, is really, Lord George Fitzwilliam Babington VI, Earl of Basilford. He can well afford anything he wants, to send to Esther to try and impress her.” He was still smiling, but Charlotte’s face almost looked horrified.

“Sidney, this is _very_ important! You _must_ tell George _not_ to let Esther know, at least not yet.” She was insistent.

Now he was confused. “Why? I can’t imagine, with her family that it would be something that would bother her.”

“It is _precisely_ because of her family that he needs to not be the one to tell her. Her brother, Sir Edward Denham treated her very badly, and she may not give George a chance. She may worry that he would be just like her step-brother.” She really was concerned. She never would have guessed, with how kind Babington was, that he was an Earl. And young for that as well. “Frankly, I like George.” She smiled. “He is always kind, and seems so ‘normal’ for someone who also happens to be a Lord. I don’t know if he can 'breach her walls,' as it were, but I _am_ rooting for him” She smiled.

“I am happy to hear you say that. He is a good man, and a good friend. Whether Esther is right for him or not, I would at least like him to have a chance to find out.” More common ground between them, and his eyes crinkled as he smiled down at her. The fact that she wanted something good for his friend, as well as hers was refreshing, most of the women he had spent time with really only thought about themselves. And now they also had a plan, or at least a secret between them. He liked that feeling too.

After everything was finished, Diana mixed a large salad for them for lunch. They each took a plate of the fresh greens and veg, and went into Sidney’s dining area to eat. Before Sidney had a chance to sit next to Charlotte, Georgiana jumped in front of him, and he had to settle with sitting opposite her on the other side of the table.

Charlotte had been somewhat mesmerized by Georgiana. She had seen her working on the containers while sitting at the island. She had never seen anyone look quite so confident while working on such a menial task. She wondered what she would be like working on something she was really good at. A force to be reckoned with, she imagined. She was lovely, slim, with dark glowing skin, natural hair that was well tended, and _very_ well cut. She definitely had a “I woke up like this,” je ne sais quoi, about her. Her mother must have been taller, as she was only a couple inches taller than Charlotte, and her mother had been a model. Probably something from her father’s side, she thought. And lovely bronze brown eyes. Large and intelligent, inquisitive, and yet discerning. And whatever scent she was wearing was lovely. It was no doubt very expensive, Charlotte thought, as she sat down in the chair next to her.

“I hear you are rather brilliant, Charlotte Heywood.” Not a question, or a challenge, more looking for some kind of verification.

“I don’t think I would describe myself that way” she answered. She never really knew how to handle that question. Own it, and challenge them to ‘math-a-lon’, or play it down, and thereby, sell herself short. There were not good answers for that… “I’m lucky that I am good at what I do, and I really enjoy it.” Georgiana cut a look at Sidney as she knew he was listening.

“What a lovely way to live, _enjoying_ what you do…” It was clearly meant for Sidney to hear after their conversation on the drive down. But she didn’t want to lose Charlotte’s interest by being vague. It was time for a direct compliment. “Well, Arthur told me that he _adores_ working with you. That it has been the most exciting time at headquarters since you came on.” It was true, he had said it, but Georgiana was still fishing, looking for a weakness, a flaw.

“How kind of Arthur. I must say, I adore working with him too. We just clicked from the very beginning. Although, I think someone would have to be mad to not enjoy spending time with Arthur. And, he is also _very_ good at his job.” She smiled as she talked about him, and from what Georgiana could tell, there was no pretense there. That was reassuring.

“And how do you find Sanditon?” This was certainly more cordial than typical for Georgiana.

“I’ve been here before, but not really to the beaches. My friend, Esther Denham is from here, and I visited with her over a break at Uni while she visited her aunt. Esther is very fair and burns easily, so she doesn’t really bother with the beaches except in the colder months. But so far, I like it. We like it, actually”, and she smiled at her brother across and down the table.

“You know the Denhams? How interesting, what a small world. Lady Denham, however, is not my favorite. She started following my Instagram, and is tagging me in photos of that _stuffy_ old club. I can’t think that any of the people who follow me would be interested in that place.” She said dismissively.

Charlotte, took it in stride, with a small chuckle. “Yes, since she has discovered social media, Esther has had to keep close tabs on her. She is paying her aunt’s assistant extra to report back to her in case she seems to be going off the rails.” She said, a little bit conspiratorially. “But she does adore Esther, so I can’t think too badly of her.” She added, still smiling.

Georgiana, looked at her and just tipped her head, like she was reading her. “I think I might like you, Charlotte Heywood. And I don’t say that very often about anyone.” Charlotte looked at her with her brows raised, and then saw the stunned look on Sidney face. “Oh Sidney, close your mouth. You look like a slack-jawed fool. I have been known to _like_ people. On _occasion_ , _and_ under the right circumstances. Besides, I’ll be seeing a lot of you this summer when the team is on tour.” She said toward Charlotte, and took another well-mannered bite from her salad.

“Oh yes, of course. It will be much more traveling than I have ever had a chance to do. I still have so much to prepare for that…” Charlotte said as her voice drifted off.

“What do you mean, Charlotte?” It was Michael now, a little concerned with how much she was putting on her plate with everything still at full tilt at work.

“Oh, just that I’m supposed to go with Clara to London tomorrow… which is already Saturday,” she said softly with a small laugh, time had been moving so quickly. “We’re to run some errands, do some shopping and such. She’s planning everything, so I’m not really sure. I’m not sure I want to know until I’m in it.” Charlotte said a little nervously.

Michael tried to reassure her. “I’m sure it will be fine, and Clara has been traveling with the team a few years, I’m sure she will know what you’ll need.” He was grateful he was not a woman. For men it was pretty easy, good shirts, good trousers, nice denim, and some really good shoes. Outside of the team gear that is. “Diana and I were just discussing bringing everything we made, up to Willingden tomorrow morning. You won’t be upset if you miss it, will you?” Here he was a little concerned.

She inhaled for a moment. “No, I have to be prepared for these trips. I’ll be working non-stop between the race weeks, and I won’t have time once everything starts. There really is no other time… I’ll head up next weekend and check in before we leave for Melbourne.” Sidney was watching all of this with great interest. He had been hoping to see her on Saturday. Now he had to come up with a different plan. This may require Babington’s help again, he thought.

Georgiana looked at Charlotte. “Clara does have a good eye, but if you want another opinion, I can give you my number and you can text me, and send photos.” And she gave Charlotte a small grin.

“That would be lovely. Thank you, Georgiana.” It had not been lost on Charlotte that Georgiana did seem to have great style. Slim, black cropped pants, that apparently didn’t wrinkle, combined with a bright white short-sleeve, mock-neck sweater that ended at her waist. It looked like a simple cotton sweater, but the fitted knit was so delicate, she wasn’t sure. Multi-colored trainers, that could have only been designer, added personality to the look. She was young and energetic, but still, refined in what she wore. Shortly, their numbers were exchanged.

The plans were set for the next day. Diana would pack everything into coolers she had brought in her car, and take everything to her place for proper freezing and refrigeration. With as many meals as she prepared for Sidney, and for herself, she was equipped for it. Michael would pick her up in the morning, and help pack up everything for the drive to Willingden.

Georgiana had been watching Sidney with interest. She had noticed how he was intently watching Charlotte, even when his head was down and it looked like he really wasn’t watching anything. She knew him too well, and suddenly had an idea.

“Charlotte, I have to go back to school Sunday afternoon. What about having breakfast with Sidney and me that morning? That way you can tell me all about shopping in London.” It might have been uncharacteristic of her to help Sidney so obviously, but if this woman was really important to him, she wanted to know her better too. Plus, she was one of the younger people on staff. They might actually have fun together on the team trips, if Charlotte didn’t have to work constantly.

“Oh!” Charlotte’s eyes widened as her brows rose, and she smiled. “I think I would like that, Georgiana. How kind! And yes, I might need to decompress a little after what I’m sure will be a day spent completely out of my element.” She said the last part with her self-deprecating humor. She knew she wasn’t like most girls, in that respect.

“I only wish I could go with you, but my shopping quota for the month has been reached.” G gave a raised eyebrow to Sidney at her last comment, as he looked at her with a mixture of gratitude, and also warning. No need to air disagreements too publicly, she thought. “Lovely!” And she smiled brightly at Charlotte and then at Sidney, but his gaze and wide smile were only directed toward the woman sitting next to her.

***

“Do you see what I mean? I keep telling you you’re a genius, and that move you pulled at lunch was just one _brilliant_ example.” He pulled Georgiana and squeezed her shoulders into a sideways hug, while he kissed the top of her head. The house was finally empty.

“Okay, OKAY! I _get_ it,” as she pried herself away from him. “ _Really_ , Sidney you’re like a puppy. You were an absolute mess this morning. What has happened to you? Where is your _game_? Is this another thing you lose as you get older? It was almost embarrassing to watch.” She was maybe enjoying this a little too much, but the sudden change in his demeanor, his unguarded emotions while in Charlotte’s presence was more than just uncharacteristic. It was practically a separate personality. To make it even stranger, he just put his hands on his hips and laughed, and shook his head. “Have you been tested? Are you’re sure you’re not mad? Should you even be _driving_ this year?”

“No, in the car I am fine. At work, so far, I have been fine… besides, you always said you wanted a dog,” he said with a wink. “So, I take it you like her, then? Because your opinion matters to me, G. Probably more than anyone else’s.” And he was serious again.

“Well, I don’t really know her enough to _like_ her yet. But so far, I don’t _hate_ her… You’ve never introduced me to anyone you were _interested_ in before. I’m not entirely sure how to react. I suppose part of it, is that you don’t usually _get_ interested in women… mostly it’s ‘ _distracted momentarily_ ,’ than interested.” She grinned.

He chuckled slightly. “No. I cannot argue with that. But I appreciate your help, and I appreciate you trying to get to know her.” And he grinned, before his face changed again in thought. “You may need to help me choose something to wear for Sunday. I had the damnedest time this morning.” And suddenly he was the puppy again.

“Helpless, and hopeless Sidney Parker, whatever am I going to do with you?” She shook her head. She turned toward the hallway and skipped every other step, going up the stairs to the second floor, as she called out behind her, “We better get through this now, whilst I still like you today. Who knows what might happen later?”

***

Clara made very good time in her Mercedes coupe as they drove into London. She headed straight to her salon. Charlotte was going to meet her own stylist who had done wonders with managing Clara’s wavy hair. She couldn’t wait to see what Nick was going to do with Charlotte’s curly texture. They added a few low lights and highlights to bring out her natural chocolate colored hair. He then went into great detail as to how he was going to structure the hair with layers and cut the ends at an angle to help them curl more neatly. Charlotte was amazed. “I had no idea that cutting hair was like engineering! It’s all about working with the materials, and what kind structure they can bear to create the right shape!” As Clara had already explained to Nick who Charlotte was, he was rightfully flattered and took even better care of her from that point on. The Aestheticians helped her with skincare products, and how to apply her new makeup in a minimal yet appealing way. When they walked out, Charlotte could hardly recognize the woman looking back at her in the store windows. All she wanted to do was touch her curls. Her hair still had length, but the way it was cut felt so much lighter, and framed her face in a new way.

At this point, if Clara had wanted her to wear a poodle-skirt to work, she probably would have done it. They went to a few boutiques, where she was actually fitted for jeans, and marks were made to have them altered. Next it was dress trousers, cut in a slimmer feminine style. Button up tops also marked to be altered to nip at her waist and narrow the shoulders without sacrificing the extra space in front that she required. An evening suit similar to a tuxedo that Clara swore she would wear more than she might realize, and the jacket could be paired with anything to dress it up. Sweaters, and some light coats. Also, warm weather clothing for the locations, where Clara also told her, she would feel like she could melt from the heat and humidity.

The last stop was a custom evening wear store. They had their own designs, but they could be changed and altered to fit the woman. They settled on one black midi length dress that had slim straps and a notched ‘V’ in the middle of the otherwise square neckline. Another, white silk evening gown, that had a single wide diagonal strap, supporting the bias-cut fabric as it draped down her curves. Last, a navy cocktail dress that had more structure than the other two. But was strapless. At this point Charlotte finally expressed concern with finding the right undergarments to wear under the dresses. She was not someone who could easily get away without a bra. Clara explained, that with all the measurements they had taken, the undergarments would be built into the dresses. “Almost like a bustier, but custom fit, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything.” She smiled.

Charlotte was stunned. “They do that?” she asked.

“What do you think all those actresses do at the BAFTA’s and the Oscars? No reason to skimp when it makes your life so much easier.” She smiled.

At that news, Charlotte decided on another fitted evening gown in black, that flared slightly at the bottom. It was ordered in a fabric that would travel well, and had a scoop neckline with halter straps that pulled into a racer-back design at her shoulder blades. She had taken some photos through the day to show to Georgiana tomorrow. So far, she had been pleased with what they had found, and G was right. Clara did have a good eye for what suited Charlotte. All that was left was to find some small and easy to carry cross-body bags, a high-quality leather tote, and then the shoes. Jimmy Choo’s, Clara swore by them for formal wear and dressy occasions. Then another store for more casual footwear. It had been a long day, but it had also been an education. Most of the new items would be altered or finished in the following week, and shipped. The custom items would take longer, but at least she felt more prepared for what was coming. The rest were filling the boot of Clara’s car.

On the way back to Sanditon, Clara finally asked her what she really wanted to know, but did not want to distract her with whilst they were working on Charlotte’s new look. “Have you seen Sidney lately?” She asked, dipping her toe in the water.

“Yesterday. Michael and I went to his house to work on a project with Diana.” She wasn’t sure how much Clara knew, but she guessed that Clara probably knew more than she usually let on.

“Oh yes, Michael told me about that, I ran into him in the cafeteria the other day. Diana is a wonder. If anyone can help it would be her.” She said reassuringly. Then waited a moment. “Is Georgiana in town still? Tom mentioned that she was coming in for her half-term break.”

“Yes, we met her yesterday. She seems very intelligent, and very poised.” Charlotte wasn’t sure what else to say. They had talked, but mostly about Charlotte. She wasn’t sure how Georgiana had managed that, but she did.

“She is certainly that.” She said. “I know these teenage years have been a bit difficult for both her and Sidney. Sometimes the tension between them is thick, whilst we travel. Both seem to have very strong opinions.”

“I can see that,” Charlotte said. “She asked me to meet them for breakfast tomorrow before she goes back to school.”

“Really, well that is new… She has had a difficult life without her parents, I think. She loves the Parkers that’s easy to see, but she never really knew her mother. Then her father died when she was 12. I don’t think she lets people in very often.” Then she smiled at Charlotte. “She must be hearing good things about you,” she added with a wink. Also wondering how long Sidney was going to hold out on ‘pacing’ their relationship. Once he saw her in one of those dresses, she thought, that would be the end of that. She smiled.

“I suppose I can only try and get to know her. She is only 4 years younger than me, I think.” She added.

“True, she will be 19 soon. She’s intelligent, and so are you. It might be good for her to have someone who has just gone through what she is getting ready to do. Planning her life, her education. She’s right at the cusp of all those life-changing decisions. Add the pressures of her family name and all that comes with it, not entirely unlike yourself. You might end up having more in common than not.” Clara added. There really were more similarities there than she had realized before.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” She pondered what Clara said and decided to act sooner than later. She pulled up Georgiana’s contact, wrote a quick text and selected photos from the day to send to her. Telling her what they chose and why, asked what she thought about the shoes, and what pieces she might mix together.

A minute later she got the first of a string of texts. She loved the shoes, liked that she got the same one in different heel heights. The trainers were very trendy and she highly approved. She gave some advice about which items to mix and which shoes to wear them with. She especially liked the last black dress with the more modern style with the back. “LOVE” the scooped neckline. “Very flattering!” followed by 🔥❤️😘💃🌋. 

This gave Charlotte a smile and also some reassurance. Georgiana clearly knew what she was talking about. Esther was also very good at these things, but it was nice to get the opinion of someone young. Someone who had their finger on the pulse of what was new, and exciting. It was invigorating being around her energy, and realized that she really hoped that they could become friends. Even if Charlotte was harboring _many_ impure thoughts toward the man who was also Georgiana’s guardian. It could only be better if they got along, surely, than if they didn’t. Both of these friendships were so new, and suddenly they were now two of the more prominent ones in her life. Or, at least two with the most possible potential. She started to feel like maybe she was dating two people instead of one, except she wasn’t even dating Sidney. How did everything get so complicated? She tried not to think too much about it. She would see how breakfast would go tomorrow, and then she was going straight in to work with Arthur and the crew working on the latest updates. Right now, it might be better for her to be ‘dating’ work, she thought. Too much to do and think about in every direction. But at least, she would be able to get through whatever she was going to face, with a much better haircut, and in much better shoes. She smiled at that thought. That, at least, she did _not_ have to think about.


	23. Team Work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot thank you all enough for your wonderful comments!❤️🥰  
> I have been collaborating with the wonderful and talented, Panstick on a new work. "Mr. Parker's Proposals." We just released the first installment this morning, and it has been a great experience. I am still, very much working on Parker Racing because I have the whole story plotted already. I would never leave it unfinished. ☺️ It will just take me longer to get the new chapters up. I hope you enjoy chapter 23, and check out the new series as well! I'm really proud of how well it is working between the two of us, despite the 6 hour time zone difference!

Chapter 23

Team Work 

Once home, Charlotte looked at most of her old clothes in the dresser and hanging in the armoire, and saw all of it with fresh eyes. ‘Quite an education,’ she thought shaking her head. She pulled over several of the empty moving boxes she had in a corner, and started to refill them with shoes and clothes that would not work with all the new ones she had brought back with her. Plus, she would be expecting even more via express post, soon. Once room was made, she carefully unpacked the bags and boxes into the now empty spaces. She bit her lip thinking about breakfast tomorrow morning. She pulled out the dark denim cropped jeans, that had fit her well without alteration, and a choice of sweaters to wear with it tomorrow. The belt, the extremely comfortable- yet cool- black platform loafers, even underwear and a bra; all were set aside so that her head wouldn’t explode with nerves in the morning. All her new makeup and hair products were set up in her bathroom, and much of the old ones swept into the bin. There would be no excuses when she needed to be ready.

She heard Michael come home. She had thought earlier that he might return before her. But when he was not home when she arrived, she realized that they must have stayed for dinner with the family. He called out for her, “I’m in my room, Michael.” He walked in as her door was open, and she could see the reaction on his face when he saw her.

“WOW! You look great. The same, but different. Do you like it?” He hoped he hadn’t made her feel bad by his reaction.

“ _I do_ like it,” she smiled. “I think it will be easier than struggling with a bad haircut. Plus, the lessons I got today, well basically everywhere we went, will definitely help. I should probably get a thank you gift for Clara. She really knows what she’s doing. How did things go at home? How’s Papa?” Her demeanor changed on a dime, to concern.

“Doing as well as can be expected, I suppose. Asked me all about work, about you… about Sidney…” He admitted.

“And I’m sure you had to repeat everything to Mama as well?” She asked almost accusingly.

“No, she was actually busy with Diana the whole time. She was very eager to learn everything Diana had prepared in the binder. We stayed for dinner because she wanted Diana to help her make a meal with what they had, and ask her how and what to do. Timothy was also very interested, and he and Diana had a lot to talk about. Which is good. He should be able to help Mum and Anna out in the kitchen if they need it. Diana was great, very helpful. The 3 of them spent most of the time in the kitchen. I’m pretty sure she convinced Mum to throw a bunch of stuff away, but the littles probably got hold of some of it and are hoarding treats in their rooms.” He said with a grin.

“I’m sure they have!” She said with a laugh. She truly like Diana, and she understood Sidney’s dedication, but there were limits to what she would be willing to give up forever. “Well, I am glad that Mama is receptive to all of this. Nothing would change in that house if she wasn’t the one to instigate it.” She paused for a moment. “What exactly did you tell him?”

He knew that she could only have meant their father. “I told him that work is really busy, that we seem to be getting along with everyone so far. You and Arthur are working great together. The Parkers seem to be good people. James has made the jump to a much more complicated car without batting an eye. And that the changes you’ve made seem to be working.” He knew he was leaving out what she really wanted to know, but what’s the fun in being the oldest if you can’t torture the ones younger than you? He thought with a grin. She stared at him with an annoyed look that he was more than familiar with. Finally, he caved, “OK. I told him that Sidney was being a perfect gentleman, from what I could see, and that nothing serious was going on… At least not yet, and you seemed to be keeping your head about you, which you always do. However, … I hadn’t seen your little makeover until just now, _soooo_ …” He teased her, knowing that even if he had wanted to finish that sentence, she would not have let him.

“Michael! Was I _really_ that hideous to look at before?!” Had everything really been just about friendship? She didn’t think so, but none of this was normal, she had nothing to go by. Insecurities were surrounding her now, even after her experiences today.

“Lottie, of course not! You should also remember that you are my _sister_ , and I will never be able to look at you that way. In fact, I should probably want to pummel Sidney Parker for even thinking about it.” And now he was actually thinking that maybe he should have had the ‘if you hurt my sister,’ talk with Sidney. He had mostly tried to stay out of it, but now his protective instincts had been activated. “Maybe I do need to have a little chat with Sidney, Dad asked me if I did. I told him I didn’t think that it was necessary.” Michael was now rethinking his strategy. He wanted his sister to be happy, he also wanted her to not get hurt. He looked at her, and she did look beautiful, and now she looked nervous as well.

“You told him that? Why? Because you think nothing will come of it?” High anxiety was where her brain was functioning right now, and it was not coming down without a fight.

“No Lotts! I told him that I _like_ Sidney, I also told him that you were more than capable of making your own decisions. _Also_ , that helping with his diet and trying to get _him_ better had been Sidney’s idea, not Diana’s. Why would Sidney go through all that trouble if he didn’t care about you? Most men wouldn’t even try to think of a way to help, let alone go through with it.” And with that he had also settled his own concerns. She stopped and her face seemed to calm.

“What else did he say?” She asked with some trepidation.

“He said he was really proud of you, and that he couldn’t wait to watch the practice sessions in Australia on the telly, to see what you had been doing with the car. I told him that you planned to go home next weekend before we left, and you could fill him in on everything.” He hoped that would help.

She took one of her calming deep breaths. “OK.” And she just nodded a little. “Yes, visiting will help, I’m sure.”

He gave her a minute to calm down more. “You really do look lovely Lottie. If Sidney has anything holding him back, I don’t think your new look will make it easy for him to keep doing that. Just make sure it’s what you want too.” He looked at her, knowing she would take that to heart. “You look… sophisticated. You, but no longer a ‘student’ version of you. You know?” And he gave her a sideways grin. “OK, I’m knackered, and heading for bed. And _you_ have breakfast in the morning with Miss Lambe and her guardian.” He said with a wink. As he left and walked out, he simply shouted “Night!”

She was left with her thoughts, and kept going back to what Michael had said. If Sidney didn’t care, then why would he go through the trouble of helping their father? He certainly had enough in his schedule to keep him busy. This must be something he wanted to do for her. That made her smile, thinking of Sidney. It gave her the confidence to decide to wear the dark green sweater that worked so well with her complexion, for breakfast tomorrow, and she put the other options away.

***

Georgiana had texted the name and address of the restaurant to Charlotte, and Sidney had insisted that they leave 15 minutes earlier than they needed to. These few days at home, were becoming one eye-rolling moment after another with him. He even discussed how they would sit at the table so that he could be seated next to Charlotte.

“OMG Sidney! Just ask her out on a _date_ already!” She’d had as much as her 18-year-old psyche could take. “I mean, you _like_ her! I get the whole, taking it slow because you don’t want to scare her off with all your weird habits and insecurities, but this it getting to be ridiculous.” She couldn’t resist poking fun at him. Plus, it seemed like he needed a push.

He glared over at her. They were back in the Range Rover, with all her things packed and ready to go with her back to Oxfordshire, after breakfast. “I am _working_ on it.”

“It looks to me like you’re stalling.” She raised her eyebrows at him, and folded her arms in front of her. “I’ve never seen you like this. PLEASE! Put us **_all_** out of our misery and Just ask the woman out on a date!”

He took a deep breath. “Believe me Georgiana. I _want_ to. I’m trying to do something different here. I have my reasons.” And he left it at that.

They were seated at a prime table, tucked away in a corner at Beaufort’s. One of the few places that had everything between a full English breakfast, to a fruit plate on the menu. Everything rich and decadent, and light and healthy at the same time. They saw as she approached the entrance through the large front windows. Her new clothes that fit like a glove, enhancing the symmetry of her curves. The way her new haircut accentuated her curls, as well as her face.

She shook her hair slightly as she removed her new sunglasses and tried to adjust her eyes to the dim inside light. Georgiana looked at him like he had just lost a war.

“If you don’t ask her out soon, someone else will.” And that was the last that she said on the subject. Sidney stood as she entered, and waved her over as he moved to get her chair for her as she sat down.

“I see Clara’s day in London was successful.” Georgiana said brightly and then slyly looked over at Sidney. She tapped her knee against his to get him to talk.

But Charlotte talked before he could. “Yes, it was all very enlightening. Clara was most helpful. I certainly feel more prepared than I did before.”

“That’s good. Like you said, so many changes. It’s nice to feel a little more prepared.” He finally contributed. Georgiana pointedly widened her eyes at him. He cleared his throat, knowing what G was willing him to do. He gave Charlotte a shy grin, and in his deep tones said, “You look lovely.” He knew he could turn on the charm when needed, but he wanted to do so, gently. He hoped his expression hadn’t gone too far, restraint was a challenge for him. But her smile, and the pink in her cheeks, showed him that his observation of her was appreciated.

The menus arrived, and Georgiana quickly took charge in telling Charlotte which things on the menu were the best to try, as there were a lot of them. Sidney would get the egg white omelet, heavy on the green vegetables, and very light on the oil. Georgiana would get the strawberry crepes which sounded more like a dessert than a breakfast, Charlotte thought. She decided on the fruit plate, and some whole grain toast. In addition to her espresso, with the steamed milk on the side. The toast with butter wasn’t the healthiest choice, but she also did not want anything too decadent. She had read enough of Diana’s binder to want to make some small changes in her life.

Charlotte asked Georgiana about school, and what her favorite subjects were. Sidney was happy to jump in and brag about her art classes and how gifted she had always been in that area. Georgiana talked about how she thought she wanted to go into design, probably fashion, but did not want to limit herself. They talked easily about the upcoming season, and the different places Georgiana had traveled to since a very young age. She was full of recommendations and tips of where to go and what to see, if Charlotte had any extra time while they traveled. Georgiana even risked going to the luggage subject. Hoping that Charlotte had a good set. Luckily, she did have a good set of light-weight, hard-sided luggage that her parents had given her before she left for Boston. She didn’t know what brand, just that they had held up very well and were sturdy.

Sidney barely had a chance to talk, it was obvious that the two were getting along rather well. He sat back and watched as they moved easily from one subject to another, and smiled to himself. This interaction was actually more than he could have hoped for. Then he thought about Georgiana’s words of warning. “If you don’t ask her out…someone else will.” And he lost his smile. The changes since the other day were subtle, but they were also not insignificant. They enhanced her, elevated her. He needed to find a way to spend time with her before they left next week. He knew she was going to see her parents before they left. So, he had actually less than a week. 5 days, max.

Georgiana looked at him and saw his mind working through something, and made a decision. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I will visit the loo before we get on the road.” She smiled, placed her napkin next to her half-eaten breakfast, and gracefully stood up from the table, leaving them alone. They hadn’t been completely alone since that morning in Clara’s office. As soon as she had disappeared around the corner to the hallway leading to the toilets, he turned his body toward Charlotte.

He smiled and she looked at him. “I meant that, what I said earlier. You do look, very lovely.” When she blushed again as she thanked him, he took that as a positive sign. “Charlotte, would you, I mean, I was hoping that we might be able to see each other this week. Before everything starts up. I know that you will be very busy, and your time is limited, and you'll want to see your parents before Melbourne.” Geez-us, Sidney, give her every reason to say no, why don’t you? The voice in his head was beginning to sound a lot like G. He exhaled a small laugh. Then, looking in her wide eyes, he finally said what he had been waiting weeks to say. “Would you like to have dinner with me some time this week?” There, he said it, and there was no possible scenario where Babington would interrupt. He would make sure of that.

Her face lit when she smiled. “Thank you, Sidney, I would like that very much.” She said it quietly, but never once looked away from him. She wanted this too. She felt it, and hoped he felt it too. He smiled in return as his eyes crinkled in return.

“When, do you think?” He was going to pin this down, right here, right now.

“Umm, maybe Thursday or Friday? I think most of what we want to do will be finished by then, and everything will need to be packed up soon after.” She was hoping that would work for him too.

“Thursday or Friday would be… wonderful.” He said with a relieved smile. “I suppose we can talk later this week, and make more definite plans. I’ll be in at headquarters, to see how things are going and to talk with Babington about set up possibilities. Obviously with _your_ input, as well.” His smiles were contagious, and she was equally relieved. “But, don’t say anything to George about it.” He said more seriously, thinking of an excuse on the spot. “He’ll try to turn it into a double date with Esther again, if he finds out.” He gave small laugh, smiling, at his genius last second thinking.

She laughed. “That sounds like a good plan.”

Georgiana returned to the table to see them both smiling like the besotted pair that they were. It wasn’t long before they had to part ways, Charlotte going in to work, and it was back to school for Georgiana. She caught the “I’ll text you later,” and the hand on Charlotte’s shoulder when Sidney leaned in to whisper to Charlotte. Then, the way her eyes flashed up at him as he said it, smiling.

“It has been so lovely to meet you Charlotte, and your brother. I hope I will see you again soon.” She leaned forward and gave her a hug, and then she and Sidney said their good byes.

Sidney had opened the door of the Range Rover for her and she paused. She turned to face him, and he was still smiling. She raised her brows and gave him a look. “You’re _welcome_.” She said, as a reminder as to who had gotten this breakfast date, _and_ made it possible for him to finally ask Charlotte out.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, G. I couldn’t have done it, _well..._ I couldn’t have done it so _quickly_ , without you.” As she finally slid into the passenger seat. “You are quite cunning when you want to be. Not sure how I should think about at that,” he said. Giving her a questioning look.

“Well, if I am doing it correctly, then you won’t even know to think about it, Sidney.” She said in a self-satisfied tone. And it only made him worry more, and the wrinkle between his brows showed it. “Oh Sidney, you know I’m just teasing!” She said, trying to cover her tracks.

“Let’s hope so,” he said, and closed the door, before he walked around to the driver’s side.

***

Charlotte had arrived at work, and she happily carried her new leather tote in with her. It was large enough to put her laptop, her tablet, and anything else she needed, inside. It was even more comfortable to carry than her clumsy messenger bag. She felt more “sophisticated,” as Michael had said. She wasn’t a student anymore, something about what he had said made her take notice of what she had accomplished. What she had earned, and hoped to still earn through her work. Not money, not awards, just the work. To be able to do what she loved, and to keep doing it.

“Ooh la la, Charlotte!” Arthur had just walked into her office and felt that they were far enough from everyone behind the closed door to tease and compliment her about her new look. “I must say, what on earth will my brother think when he sees you like this, I wonder?”

“As a matter of fact,” she said coyly, “he already has.” Her blush was unmistakable.

“You vixen! How?!” Arthur was hoping that it did not mean that they had already spent the night together. It was still morning, after all.

“Georgiana invited me to breakfast with them before she left for school.” She said simply, but smiled thinking on it.

“Aaah.” Arthur said knowingly. “Perhaps dear G is the vixen then. Setting you two up. I can only _imagine_ what misery he has been to live with the past week.” He said laughing and shaking his head.

Her brows pinched in confusion. “Whatever for, Arthur?”

His eyes grew when he realized his blunder, and stammered to cover for it. “Oh!... only that he gets… _nervous_ right before the season starts.” His own nervous chuckle seemed to cover for almost revealing his brother’s obsessive level of thinking about her. “Happens every year!” And he dismissed it with a wave of his hand, and moved on. He had plenty of other things to discuss with her anyway, and quickly moved on to more serious subjects.

They went over results from the wind tunnel testing on the new front wing configurations, and the new side pod designs. They discussed and debated the options in front of them. What did they want to test in Australia? What did they think would work best on the street circuit that wove around Albert Park Lake, just a few kilometers south, of the center of the capitol city? They needed high down-force on the cars, but enough ground clearance to manage the bumps on the street circuit, and the kerbs. Also, not too _much_ down-force, so that they could take advantage of the speed through the straights. As with any street circuit, it also tended to get slippery, until the cars could put some rubber down from the tyres during the practice sessions. Add driver preferences, and the combinations were starting to narrow. 

After a few hours, Arthur and Charlotte brought their final suggestions, which was actually a long list, to the other engineers to look over, run through more simulations, and offer their opinions. As good as Charlotte and Arthur were at their jobs, they also knew that Formula One is the ultimate team sport. There is no other sport, where the team makes the equipment that their athletes “play” with, or compete “on or in.” It all came down to every last person involved, in making each part, each component work, and making it all work together. James had come in to headquarters just as their recommendations were being passed along for reviews.

James’ appreciation of the changes in Charlotte was obvious. Arthur noticed that he could not keep himself from looking at her, watching her. When he asked Charlotte and Arthur to join him in the cafeteria for lunch, Arthur had been inclined to say no, but Charlotte had accepted before he could speak. ‘This cannot be good,’ he thought. But he also was not going to leave them to go to lunch by themselves. He smiled at James, and they all left together.

Things from Charlotte’s end seemed friendly, he thought, but not flirty, so that was good. In Arthur’s opinion anyway. He really did not want this to turn into some kind of ‘competing suitors’ situation. Charlotte was completely professional, and she drew Arthur into talking with James. They discussed what they were thinking about for car to take to Australia, and what they were hoping to achieve. Getting his input, so thoroughly, would also only be helpful. It had actually been a very productive lunch meeting, and Arthur was starting to feel like he had overreacted earlier. After all, James and Charlotte had worked together for so long already, surely if anything was there, it would have already happened by now. He breathed a sigh of relief as they stood to clear their trays.

“Charlotte, can I talk with you a moment?” James saw his opportunity to speak with her alone, if only she agreed.

She did not have any reason to think that she shouldn’t speak with James, and agreed. They had practically been friends, after all, after working on their small F3 team. Arthur, however, was reluctant to leave them, fearing this might get messy, but he had no choice. He simply added, “Don’t take too much time Charlotte, we have much more still to do. See you later James, don’t keep her long.” He really wanted to make that an order, protecting his brother’s interests, but this was out of his hands. He walked toward the elevator, looking over his shoulder a few times, while trying to figure out what James had wanted. But he was too far away.

“Yes James, what it is you wanted to talk about?” Charlotte asked with a polite smile. She assumed it had something to do with the car, or something he wanted to talk with her and Michael about. Instead, James suddenly seemed self-conscious, and nervous. He ran his hand through his light brown curls, and took a deep breath. When he looked back at her face, it had changed to a concerned expression as she had watched him try and compose himself. “Is everything alright?” She asked. Was he not happy with the changes they wanted to make? Her head was going through as many situations as she could think of.

“No, no, everything is fine,” he said, trying to reassure her “I umm. Well, I wanted to talk with you. And maybe I should have done this a long time ago…” He swallowed hard as he looked at her eyes, that were more curious now than concerned. “Just, after those pictures the other week, in the news…” and she looked a little embarrassed as he mentioned it. “Well, are you? Are you and he… seeing each other?” He thought if he approached it this way, if they were seeing each other, he might be able to save himself some embarrassment, instead of pouring his heart out to her. “I realize it’s a very personal question, and … well, I didn’t want to listen to a bunch of gossip about it, and not try and talk to you, and find out the truth.” That was done, now he just waited. Hoping.

“Technically, well even technically, I’m not sure.” She said at first, and he was even more confused. “What I mean to say, is that there is nothing ‘official’ going on. We are trying to spend time together. Which, with preparations for the season keeping us busy, has not been, well it’s been slow.” She hoped he understood, especially since _she_ barely understood. “I suppose we are attempting, slowly, to try and spend time together. To get to know each other better.” That should do it. It sounded right, anyway.

“Ah.” He nodded. He couldn’t really smile at that news, but he attempted a forced, flat grin.

“I hope you know James, that I realize how this can complicate things. With the team, with my family, with Heywood Racing. I would not risk all of that, and put everyone else at risk, if I hadn’t thought of all the possible consequences. I, _and_ Sidney, want to take our time to see if something is there. It’s a big risk for him too.” Her eyes were trying to plead with him to trust her, but trusting her was not what was causing his hurt and concern.

He nodded. He did not want to make things more confusing for her. After what she had said, it seemed like she was confused enough. Hearing her say _his_ name in relation to herself, talking about both of their feelings, practically put a knife in his own heart. He had waited too long. He just nodded again, trying to avoid speaking out loud. 

“I also want you to know, that work, the cars, the _safety_ of _both_ our drivers is always the most important task. Mine and Arthur’s. I would not allow anything to compromise what I do. I hope you know that. Nothing will stand in the way of the integrity of what we are working on.” Her eyes searched his, as he seemed to be struggling with something. She did not want him to doubt her, not when everything was just getting ready to start.

“I would never doubt your integrity, Charlotte.” He said softly. And because he meant it, he knew her character, he also knew that she was already serious about Sidney. Even if she didn’t know it yet herself.

“I want you to know, if you have concerns about anything, please talk to me or Michael about it. We’re not just teammates, we’re friends.” She smiled at him, her eyes searching, hoping she was convincing him to believe her. Trust her.

“Of course, we are, Charlotte.” He swallowed hard again. “We are… definitely friends.” He smiled, but his eyes didn’t share the sentiment. He nodded.

“So, everything is good?” Checking with him one last time.

He nodded and squeaked out just two words. “Yes… good.”

She said something about needing to find Arthur and getting back to work. As she walked away, he just raised his hand in a simple wave good bye, and walked out through the lobby as quickly as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dash of real-life F1:
> 
> Mercedes-AMG driver, Lewis Hamilton, just tied for the most wins ever in F1 with the legendary Michael Schumacher. He achieved his 91st win today, in the German Grand-Prix. If he wins the Championship this year, he will tie with Schumacher again, for the most championships from one driver- at 7 championships. And of course, any future wins will set the new high-bar for number of wins. It was a big day for the racing fans. 😁


	24. Support Systems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely comments, and encouragement! And for sticking with this story! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you enjoy reading it!

Chapter 24

Support Systems

Arthur had been trying not to look for Charlotte, to see when she returned to the department. His anxiety over her talking with James, didn't help him control himself. She exited the elevator just a few minutes after he had arrived, so at least the conversation hadn’t been long. Maybe he had been mistaken. When she smiled at him arriving at his workstation, he could not resist asking his question.

“So, what did James want?” He at least managed to get that out nonchalantly, and with an air of only moderate interest. G would have been proud, he thought.

“Oh…. Well, I’m not really _too_ sure. He asked about the pictures on the gossip sites, I think he was just looking for some… clarification, maybe. I told him that even if Sidney and I _do_ start seeing each other, because it is all very new and I’m not entirely sure what he wants, that I would not let it interfere with work, or with his car, or with the team.” And she looked over at Arthur.

“So, he asked about the pictures?” She nodded. “And then asked about the _cars_?” that did not seem to make much sense to him.

Charlotte’s brow furrowed, and her wrinkle between them appeared. She was thinking about the conversation. “No… He asked if the stories were true. I said not really. He then asked if Sidney and I were ‘seeing each other.’ That’s when I said that nothing was ‘ _official_ ’, but that we were trying to get to know each other better. We’ve all been so busy, there hasn’t been much time for that.” She smiled, completely unaware of how what she had just said could be construed, and continued. “He looked a bit concerned, that’s when I told him that I would never allow anything to interfere with my work, and neither would _you,_ Arthur. Also, that I, as well as Sidney, would not want to risk anything damaging the team or the company. He seemed to be more reassured after that. I hope so.”

“And he just left?” Arthur asked hesitantly.

“Yes, and well, I also needed to get back down here.” She answered, and started to click on the different virtual models that they had been working on earlier.

‘She is completely oblivious,’ Arthur thought. So, stunningly intelligent, but also, well maybe perhaps because of her intelligence, her eyes could not see how James looked at her. She’s always so focused on work. Then he thought, ‘She never would have seen how Sidney looked at her without those photos revealing everything to everyone! And maybe would not have _ever_ realized that his brother was already head over heels. She probably didn’t even realize that now, after what she just said. All the years of proving herself through her work, focusing on the next task, the next big idea, constantly looking forward; she had never paid attention to how people reacted to her other than in a work or academic setting.’ He assumed, anyway.

“So, _are_ you… trying to spend time together?” He asked hesitantly, and immediately thought he needed to check in with Sidney. It had been days since they’d had a chance to talk.

She smiled shyly, unable to hold it back. “Yes, he asked me to dinner later this week. But he said not to tell George, I’m sure it’s OK if I tell you though. He was worried George would try to get me to set him up with Esther.” And she gave a small laugh.

He noticed the immediate change in her when she spoke about Sidney and was relieved. He also had known about George’s concerns, and agreed that it was a good thing he did not know about the upcoming dinner. “That sounds nice,” he said cheerfully with a smile. Then decided that he might give her a gentle nudge. It seemed like she needed it. “I would never presume to interfere in your _personal_ relationships, Charlotte, but as we are talking about my brother, I feel that there is something you should... understand.”

She looked alarmed. “What?” she asked nervously.

He took a deep breath. He knew this was a gamble. “In all the years I have known my brother, growing up, seeing him at work, and traveling with him…” He hesitated trying to think of the right words. “In all that time, even with that _hideous_ ex-fiancee of his, he has never been _really_ attracted to anyone.” Damn, that wasn’t right either, and now he was mucking it up! “What I _mean_ to say, is that with you, he is different. His… behavior is different. I believe that he is taking this chance with you, as… an opportunity… for something _more_. I think that is _why_ he is taking more time to get to know you, and let you know him.” Her brows showed that she still was not entirely sure of what he meant, or she was reacting to the mention of the ex-fiancee. He probably should have left that out, he thought.

“Charlotte, he _likes_ you. A lot. You’ve… made an impression on him. A positive one. I just don’t want you to doubt his motives.” She seemed to be processing this, and he pinched his lips between his teeth wondering if he should say more.

“His actions, or rather, the change in his typical patterns,” there, that might help her understand. Make it more scientific. “His change in patterns, show that he has changed direction... Like the change in the car when we added the new floor configuration.” And her back straightened, as she was understanding what he was meaning. He had hit upon something there. “Yes, you see. With _Sidney_ , he’s like the _chassis_ , right? Or, perhaps the monocoque, as it were. And to him… you’re like the new floor… except that, you’re _more_ like… the new floor, _with_ the new front and rear wings, and _very fast_ super-soft tyres, on low fuel, in ideal track conditions.” Her eyes widened. “A very fast lap, as it were.” She was blinking.

“I don’t want to scare you off, or betray my brother in anyway… it’s just… I’ve never seen him so happy.” And she looked at him with wide eyes. It all seemed to be making sense to her now. “And I know that he has a rather roguish reputation. But not here, not with you… A completely different 'set up', and 'set of data' to work with, you see.” He released the breath he somehow had been holding in, even though he had been speaking the whole time. Saying all of that was either a really good, or a really bad decision. Now he waited as she put more of the pieces together.

“I see,” She paused for a few moments. “Or, at least I think I do.” Her eyes had been looking down, thinking. She looked back up at Arthur. “You said he’s been happy, but we hadn’t gotten much time together.” She said. And then her thoughts took over again. Her heart was beating fast, and she could feel it in her ears. All the little things he had done for her. Carrying her bag, getting every door and every chair she had to either walk through or sit upon. Waiting to talk to her outside the garage on that last testing day, asking to see her for dinner the very next day. How _attentive_ he had been at dinner, and then how he had spoken to Esther about how he wanted to ‘earn’ her, that he thought of her as beautiful and unique! Preparing the food for her father. The few, but now, very meaningful small touches and compliments. Then finally asking her out, just the two of them. He had been biding his time. Waiting for her! How could she have ever doubted his intentions or, at the very least, his wanting to see more of her. Her heart was fluttering by this point and her cheeks were flushed. The warmth was spreading down to her toes. She finally looked back at Arthur still wide eyed and blinking.

“Thank you, Arthur. I think I better understand now.” Her voice was calm and steady, but she gave him a small hopeful smile, and took a deep breath.

“I hope, it wasn’t too forward of me to say all of that. And, I am prone to some exaggeration, but I don’t believe I am in this situation.” He was still looking at her, peering and trying to discern her reaction.

She could not help the sweet smile that spread from her lips up through her eyes as she thought of him. Thought of Sidney. She was not typically over-emotional, and she certainly wasn’t going to start now. Not at work, and standing in front Arthur’s work station, in the wide-open space of the Engineering Department.

Instead, she nodded and looked into Arthur’s concerned eyes. “No, Arthur. I think you have been a very good friend to me. And I would guess, also a very good brother.” She laid her hand on his upper arm. “Thank you.”

He exhaled a huge sign of relief, and smiled in return. “Well, I certainly hope so,” he said with a smile.

“I just need a minute. I’ll be right back.” She held up her hand as if to pause their work, and quickly walked to her office. She sat at her desk, and took her phone from the tote bag. She had forgotten to put it in her pocket earlier. She pressed the screen, 1 new text message. He had already sent her a note.

Sidney: Hope things are going well at work. I’m working with Diana after I get back to Sanditon. Can I call you tonight?

She was beaming. It really was everything Arthur had said. Sidney had just proven it. Again. She bit her lower lip, smiling, as she started to type her response.

Charlotte: Would love for you call later. 8-ish? 😊

A minute later:

Sidney: 8-ish it is. 😊

That should give her enough time to finish at work, pick up something for dinner at the supermarket, eat dinner with Michael, and then retreat to the privacy of her room. She was going to let herself feel some hope in relation to a man. Something she had not done for a long time. She had always been left so very disappointed by those relationships. It almost made the trouble of it not worth the time. But after Arthur’s confirmation of her own thoughts, or hopes really. It removed a lot of the doubts she had been struggling with, even after their dinner out with Esther and George.

She had been so heartbroken after the end of her first real relationship; she had almost needed a sabbatical from school. If Esther had not been there, she wasn’t sure where she would be right now. And Raj, he was sweet, but she never shared the same feelings for him that he’d had for her. She still carried some guilt about that. Besides, her life was here in England. There was no doubt about that, no matter how much he had tried to convince her to stay in the US. With Sidney, she knew she was taking something of a leap of faith, risking her heart again; not something she liked to do. It was too unpredictable. But Arthur had bolstered her, and forced her to see what was right in front of her. And she smiled as she thought, ‘If anyone would be worth the leap, it would probably be Sidney Parker.’

***

As it was a Sunday, and people were at work almost every day of the week, it helped to get a rotation of engineers working on the different concerns that they had. It also meant that not everyone was there every day. No, it was best if the department spread the work around, and made sure the team members had at least one day off of work during the week. In fact, as Sidney was driving Georgiana back to school, and then working with Diana, this was the perfect day for Lord George Babington to return to an old hobby.

He had made an appointment with Adam, the Golf Pro at the Dunes Golf Course, and arrived early, as usual. He was even considering purchasing a membership for the golf club, when he saw what could only be a very flustered assistant flitting about the old Lady Denham. He had not seen her in years, not since he had been there golfing with his father, but she hadn't changed much. Her all grey hairstyle piled on her head, was what she had been wearing for at least the last decade. She hobbled a bit more, but it did not seem to be slowing her down. He was standing outside, near the clubhouse, a converted ancient stone and brick stable and carriage house. The building was immaculately converted for its present use, but the grounds outside of it were even more well-kept. He had lifted his hand up to wave hello, and before he could get any words out, Lady Denham was already expressing her pleasure at seeing him after such a long time.

“Lord Babington! What a delight it is to see you here. I was so sorry to hear about your father. How long has it been? A year?” She asked. Her voice was a little shaky, as expected from someone in her late 70’s, but her mind was clearly as sharp as a tack. The frazzled assistant was adjusting a flip pad in her hand, finishing some notes lady Denham had been giving her. The large phone in her hand started pinging non- stop until she opened the screen and started frantically typing to answer the emails or text notifications she was getting.

“Lady Denham,” smiling, he took her hand in greeting, and noticed the similarities of her handshake with that of her niece. “It is always lovely to see you. It’s actually been a little over 2 years, I’m afraid. Far too long since I have enjoyed a good round of golf here.” Swiftly turning the subject away from his dead father to a more acceptable conversation of golf, yet acknowledging her kind condolences.

“Are you still working with those Parkers?” She asked accusingly, he knew there was some strain there, on both sides.

“Indeed, I am, in fact. We are fortunate to be working with a friend of your niece. Charlotte Heywood, and her brother Michael as well.” He added with a smile. George’s countenance was always one of kindness and optimism, unless he had other reasons not to be.

“Oh yes!” she said, “they’re renting a flat at Denham Place. She is a very bright, young thing, isn’t she?” She smiled.

“Frightfully so, but she has been most exciting to work with. The season looks to be very promising for the team. Most of it down to her contributions. We have been very lucky to have them on board.” He finished.

“Yes, she is _very_ intelligent, and rather sweet to look at as well,” She peered over at him, deciding if he was being truthful about the work, or if he was attracted to her, and simply listing all her best qualities, because they were the only ones he was focusing on. Men tended to do that when they were attracted to women, she thought. “You seem almost enamored with her, Lord Babington.” She looked at him with that same stare, but there was a tease to her voice.

“Oh no. No, no.” He paused. Wondering what he should say to her. She could be a useful ally. “In fact, there is another woman who has turned my head.” He added mysteriously.

“Really?” Now she really was curious, she had always liked young Lord Babington. Kind, polite, exceedingly well-mannered, and always was impeccably dressed when he was at the club.

He smiled and started to say “Yes, in fact, I met her…” when he was cut off by Esther, rounding the outside corner of the clubhouse. She clearly had not seen him from her vantage point.

“ _Victoria_ , I have been texting you for over half an hour, trying to get Aunt to approve the placement of the new azaleas!” Esther had been focused on the young assistant, and only then looked to see who her Aunt was speaking with. Esther stood frozen in shock, but only for a moment, as her icy demeanor settled itself into place.

“George!” She uttered in surprise. But recovered, and she briskly added, “I did not realize you were here today. Are you working with Adam?” Her green eyes narrowing.

Lady Denham was used to Esther’s interactions with other people, and most of them fell under her very business-like demeanor. Therefore, she was not surprised by it, but she was surprised that they knew one another.

“I am, Esther. It is wonderful to see you again.” George’s smile was more than his usual politeness, and even Lady Denham’s aging eyes could notice the difference. That, and he actually was moving toward Esther as he spoke. “I was just admiring the gardens when I came across your Aunt, presumably on her way to see you. I apologize if our conversation has kept you waiting.” He never broke eye contact with her as he slowly moved forward, his voice was calm and controlled. Not unlike the way one would approach an animal they had cornered, and were trying to trap.

After he was within a yard of her, he stopped walking and then held out his hand, hoping she would take it. She did feel trapped. In public, outside, in daylight, with her Aunt standing just feet away, she could not be as rude to him as she would have liked. She tilted her chin to the side, and watched him through her narrowed eyes. Then she looked down at his offered hand. There _was_ no choice, she knew it, and she knew that he did too. Reluctantly, she took his hand, but instead of shaking it, he used it to draw closer to her, and gave her the politest of social kisses on her cheek. When he withdrew, it looked like she could have set him on fire with the glare that she gave him. He saw it, and smiled even more.

“Esther! I did not know that you _knew_ young Lord Babington?” Lady Denham asked, both surprised and delighted by the revelation.

Ether’s face returned to its shocked expression from earlier. Her mouth opened as to speak, but nothing came out. Which, was not typical for her. That only made her more flustered.

Babington jumped at the opportunity. “Well, we’ve only met the one time. About a week ago, Lady Denham. Yes, we had a delightful meal with Charlotte and Sidney Parker. A rather good Margaux, I might add.” Then he looked over at Esther who had regrouped and resumed glaring at him.

“ _Well,_ that _is_ interesting, Lord Babington. Esther told me nothing about it.” And she looked over at Esther, who was as close to a daughter as she would ever have, and blinked innocently at her. “She is quite the amateur sommelier, my dear Niece.” She watched as Esther's mouth pinched as her Aunt spoke. “In fact, Lord Babington, if you _are_ fond of wines, you should come and tour our wine cellar. It has been painstakingly restored by Esther here.”

‘NO, no, no, no- she did NOT just volunteer me for a _private_ tour of our wine cellars.’ Her head was screaming, but the pinched position of her lips stayed still. Esther knew that her modus operandi was being upturned. On PURPOSE, by her Aunt, and she was helpless to stop it.

It was apparent to everyone present, that the suggestion of a personal wine cellar tour by one Esther Denham, to be given to one Lord George Babington, was Esther’s very own version of Dante’s 5th level of hell, Anger. Stuck, alone with him, in small underground spaces, surrounded by expensive, and sometimes, irreplaceable breakable items lining almost every wall. No possibility of saying ‘ _no_.’ And no possibility of a quick escape. She felt like a lab rat in a maze that her Aunt was playing at. Except, that she realized she was feeling a lot more like the cheese hidden in that maze, than the rat.

‘She’s lucky if I don’t smother her in her sleep, after this,’ she thought. Instead, she had a very long inhalation of breath before she spoke. She almost shook her head as she turned it directly at George’s face. Daring him to simply say something. But he hesitated. He did not want to push her, even if what her aunt had suggested sounded like paradise to him.

“It appears arrangements must be made, ‘ _Lord_ ’ Babington. Should I ring your private secretary to check your diary?” It was meant to be a judgement on his title, his privileged upbringing, and the inevitable list of demands on his time, and it was certainly taken as one. Just not as she had expected.

“Oh, I don’t bother with any of that nonsense. My work is my schedule. Mother takes care of any other _duties_ I might have.” He gave a sideways smile. ‘Challenge accepted,’ he thought.

“Wooonderful! Victoria, get Lord Babington’s contact information so we can set up a time.” Lady Denham was thrilled. Esther was going to lose the bloom off her cheeks if she waited much longer, and George Babington would make an _excellent_ match! “Oh, it has been so good to see you again, Lord Babington, just lovely!” She added with enthusiasm.

“Please, call me George, I don’t hold too much with the formalities. Seems unnecessary, in this day and age.” He addressed this to Lady Denham.

“If you wish, but these formalities will never be unnecessary, I’m afraid.” She raised her brows at him, as she smiled in contented approval of the young man who’d had his head turned by her niece. “Don’t be a stranger, _George_ , I hope to see much more of you in the future. Now, I am off to the azaleas!” She waved as she turned and headed down the property toward the new plantings.

Esther, spun around to look at him. Without breaking her glare, she said sternly, “Victoria, **_I_** will get Lord Babington’s information.”

“B-but your Aunt said…” she stammered.

“I will _get_ it.” She said more calmly this time. And Victoria left, chasing after her elderly charge.

“Phone?” She asked without changing the look in her narrowed eyes. He handed it to her. He heard the ping to her own phone, and she elegantly tossed his phone back at him, leaving him to fumble a bit as he caught it. “I _suppose_ , you are capable of filling out the rest, _Lord Babington_?” He had never heard so much contempt from one person before. A group of protesters organizing against the nobility, yes. But not one person.

His eyes twinkled, as he smiled at her utter disdain for him, his title, his family, and probably her own, he thought. He had never been so drawn to a woman before in his life. He liked a challenge, and it appeared he had a most exciting one in front of him.

***

"Wait, slow down. Explain to me one more time what happened?” Either something was terribly wrong, or the phone connection was not clear.

“My _**St-U-pid**_ , bloody _Aunt_! Practically arranged a date for me, with George Babington! OH, **wait**!! _Lord_ George Babington, _Earl_ of something, somewhere!” Her head was exploding. Like, literally exploding. At least that is what she kept telling herself. That’s certainly how it felt. She was pacing.

“But how? When? Does she _know_ him?” It all sounded so… 19th century. Charlotte was perplexed.

“He was here! Golfing. Or at least **_claiming_** to be golfing, who knows! …She knows him! From when he used to come here, with his father, before he passed away.” And that quieted her for a moment. “So, I’m looking for her. And she’s in front of me, and I _see_ her, and walk over, and he’s _there!_ Around the corner. Lying in wait, like he _knew_ I was nearby!”

Charlotte knew Esther was clearly upset, but she also was not making much sense and she needed to calm her down. Fast! “OK! So, he sees you. Was he rude, or did he ‘work’ Lady Denham to try to make this date? I’m confused.”

“No. Not rude… _Polite_ actually, _annoyingly_ so. But he _did_ kiss my cheek in greeting, like we were close acquaintances or something. That, I did _not_ appreciate. Especially in front of my _scheming_ Aunt! Then, they talk, and I’m trying to get out of there, and they just keep talking, and he mentions dinner, and the _wine_ I picked out for _YOU_. Then _her_ **addlepated brain** decides that LORD _Babington_ needs a personal _tour_ of the wine cellar. With whom, you might ask? With ME!”

Yeah, this was not going well. Charlotte tried to regroup and find some way to calm her down. But it wasn’t time yet, according to Esther.

“He wasn’t even _trying_ to reach me. This is the first I’ve seen or heard from him since the flowers, I was _sure_ he was giving up. It’s been a week! Or almost!” She was practically hyperventilating at this point. “He’s not supposed to _know_ my Aunt! He’s not even supposed to _meet_ her until phase 4! When _SHE’S_ supposed to tear him to pieces, until he leaves crying! It has **worked** _every_ , _single_ , _time_! It’s _always_ the deal breaker. The safety-net!” She had been pacing in the top floor room that had been hers since she was a young child. They had used the other floors for the guest rooms, offices, and rented the reception rooms out for different functions. The former servants’ quarters had been turned into a large flat for the Denhams, 5 bedrooms, large lounge, large dining room. Even a kitchen, although they rarely used it for anything more than making tea or coffee, with a professional chef in the basement. The elevator had been installed when her Aunt had her hip replaced almost 20 years ago, so it was quite comfortable, and updated. Luckily her room, also happened to be above her office suite. If there had been a guest staying in that room, the sound of her heavy pacing would have sent them straight to the concierge.

“Esther, try to breathe. You are going to pass out if you keep this up. I can hear your short breaths through your phone.” She waited, and listened as Esther worked on steadying her breaths. “That’s it… steady… in… out… in… out. Now, do I need to come over? Do you want to meet me at Denham Place? Maybe you need to get out of there for a few minutes?”

Esther was thinking. “I don’t know. I don’t know Charlotte, nothing is going to plan. Certainly not with Lady _Dementia_ at the helm!”

Charlotte jumped in. “OK, it’s not the _usual_ plan. But that doesn’t mean that you are not _still in_ _control_ , right? _You_ decide when the ‘tour’ is. _You_ decide how long it is, and for heaven’s sake, wear some bloody trousers and flat shoes! A frumpy jumper… I have all the faith in you to sabotage this event, completely on your own. You do not have to be nice to him if you don’t want to. Right?”

“You’re right Charlotte. Oh, you _really_ are bloody brilliant! I can push him through phases two and three if I want to, _and_ manage phase four by myself! Push him away, toy with his emotions, and emasculate him, all in one afternoon! Just brilliant! Oh Charlotte, I am so happy that you are here in Sanditon. I can’t tell you how miserable the last 2 years have been with you away.”

“I missed you so much, Esther. Remember, I am here for _you_. It doesn’t matter that George is nice, and smart, and funny. What matters is what _you_ think and what _you_ want. George can just sod-off after this is all over with. Right?”

“Oh, yes, right… Listen, I’m so sorry I laid that on you, but I needed a sane voice to listen to. It’s all been so, so confusing.” She was suddenly feeling woozy.

“That is what I’m here for, Love. Always. Now, get some water, and try to figure out your plan. Love you!” That should help, Charlotte thought.

“Yes, sounds like a good plan of attack… Thank you darling! I’ll talk with you soon. Bye!”

The connection clicked. It did sound like a wonderful plan. Do it all at once and he would be running from her as fast as he could. She knew she was more than capable of that.

What Charlotte had said next though, shook her. Nice, smart, funny. And Charlotte was rarely wrong about the goodness in people. She had seen Esther for who she was, and not just her steely façade. Was she right about Babington too? He wasn’t bad to look at. He was educated, and certainly knew how to be charming when called for. He _had_ surprised her more than once…She shook her head. No, she would not cave that easily. She had her methods, they worked. She should have them patented, they had worked so well.

But now…

No! She was not going to talk herself out of it. Tour: confuse him, toy with his emotions, decimate his self-esteem, move on. Done. She would not be manipulated that easily. Her Aunt was forgetting at whose knee she had learned everything. Whatever Lady Denham could throw at her, she could throw right back. No. This was entrapment, and she refused to be the bait! Babington could go fish somewhere else! With that, she changed into her running clothes and shoes, and headed for the cliff path. She had a ‘tour’ to sabotage, and she always did her best thinking when she ran.


	25. Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely comments and even on Twitter! I am stunned!  
> I am sorry If I have not replied to comments. I have tried, but some have been missed, I am sure.  
> The delightful Panstick and I have been working on our next installment of Mr. Parker's Proposals, and it will be published soon. Thank you so much for your patience in waiting for this chapter. I actually started one version, got pretty far with it, and realized it was NOT what I wanted. I think this one is much more to my liking. Plus, it is 2,000 words longer than usual. :)  
> Thank you again for reading!!

Chapter 25

Stars

The rest of that Sunday had been one small event after another. Charlotte had gotten the emergency call from Esther, just as she had finished her short text exchange with Sidney. She had been pacing in her office, in tandem with Esther, before she could get back to work with Arthur. As soon as she returned, Arthur informed her that Mary had asked for her and Michael’s numbers, and the ping of a new text arrived as soon as he had finished his sentence. It was an invitation for her and Michael, to join the whole of the Parker family for Sunday lunch, before they all started leaving for Australia. A family, pre-race week tradition apparently. She had really wanted a chance to meet with the rest of the family, so accepting the invitation was easy. Then she had to inform her parents that she would arrive on Friday night, so that she could spend all of Saturday with them, then leave on Sunday morning to be back to Sanditon in time for lunch.

This, of course, meant that the only chance for her and Sidney to have their dinner would be on Thursday. With all this new information. She sent him a quick text to keep him informed of the new developments, and he responded with, “sounds perfect.” She was glad that he was OK with this, and was finally able to start focusing on work. They were trying to make final decisions on what they had time to work on before leaving, and what they wanted to wait to work on until after running the cars in Melbourne.

Thursday was closer than Friday, after all, so Sidney was very happy with the finalization of their plans. It also meant that he would see her on Sunday with the family. He really had been wanting to introduce her to the nieces and nephews, but mostly the nieces. He knew they would find her, and her work with Parker Racing interesting. Charlotte could be an excellent role model for them, and he smiled thinking of how he hoped the meeting would go. Now all he had to do was plan a dinner date that would impress Charlotte, and not scare her off at the same time. This would require balance, and he started thinking of his options.

At Parker Racing, Monday and Tuesday were filled with strategy sessions, discussions on what would work with the tyres allotted for the track, and countless set up configurations for both cars. Most decisions had been narrowed down, and most would have to be narrowed down even more before Friday. That was the last day any changes could be made to what they would and could pack to bring with them half way around the world. It was long hours, extra parts were being made, final changes to the wings, and four front wings total had to be refined and built. A spare for each car, and if they wanted to test any of the other parts during the two practice sessions before Qualifying, they needed to decide and pack those finished pieces as well. The final race strategies would not be worked out until after the practice sessions and Qualifyng, on the Friday and Saturday before the race.

Starting on Sunday, all Sidney could think about in his spare time, was what his options for a proper first date with Charlotte were. There were a lot. Something quiet, something more elegant, staying in, or going out? A combination of some or all of those? The pressure was unlike anything he had faced in a long time. Serious “First dates” weren’t something he actually did, or had done in a very long time. As he also was hiding this date from George, he couldn’t ask him for his help. He thought about asking Charlotte what she might like to do, but she was balancing even more than he was right now, and he decided this was something he needed to surprise her with instead. They had been texting all week. He felt like he was getting to know her better, the texts had been about everything too. Work, family, how her dad was doing with the new food plan, and the very mundane, ‘what are you doing’ texts, which are really just an excuse to chat. They had been getting somewhat "flirtier" as the week went on, so finally, by Wednesday morning, he came up with a plan for their date. He wanted to start on the early side, so that he could spend as much time with her as possible. It was simple, not over the top, but hopefully not boring. He texted to lock down the time.

S: Would it work if I picked you up at 6 tomorrow, or is that too early?

C: Maybe 7. Never know if things run late at work, and lately they have. Does that work for you?

S: 7 will work. Pick you up then.

(‘OK, not too early,’ but he tried.)

C: OK 😊

C: Wait, what should I wear?

S: I don’t want you to feel any pressure, just be comfortable.

(‘What is _that_ supposed to mean?’ She thought. Then she had a better question.)

C: What are you wearing?

S: Right now? 😉

C: Well, I am at work, so maybe not the best time to answer that…

C: I meant on Thursday. What are you planning to wear?

S: Suit, no tie. But I hardly ever wear ties.

C: So dressy, but not too dressy…?

S: Sounds right 😊

C: See you at 7 😊

S: Can’t wait

He really meant that too. He couldn’t wait. The week had been torture, waiting. He was glad they had been texting, it gave him a chance to relax more around her now that they were talking more. He really went over his date plan options. As much as he just wanted to take her for a walk on the beach, and a romantic dinner at his house, cooked by him of course. He also wanted this to be memorable, and decided to go with a classy restaurant in Old Sanditon. It had been the site of the original hotel that was destroyed by a combination of poor maintenance, and a worse than average winter storm a hundred years ago. A new hotel and restaurant had taken its place, and now it was just the restaurant with more space for seating with two floors for their dining room and reception rooms. The Crown also had the variety he wanted. They knew how to make the food he needed, after many years dining there. But they could also make a truly gourmet meal for anyone else. Fresh seafood, local farm to table vegetables, game, and meats. The large businesses, like Parker Racing, the Denham Dunes, and all the local hotels and rentals, had kept the smaller-owned businesses alive in Sanditon.

At 6:57 he arrived outside the front door of their flat, which was also the original front door to the grand mansion. He stood there, fidgeting with his cuff links, looking at his watch, and then checking his phone before he had the nerve to ring the bell. ‘Not a good look to _not_ give a lady enough time to get ready, and show up too early, Sidney.’ He thought. He had been so anxious he had gotten ready early, and left early, and now he was hoping that he hadn’t rushed her. He saw a shadow through the glass doors, and realized before they opened that it was Michael coming to answer the bell.

“Hey Sidney, come in. Work ran late and she’s still getting ready.” Michael smiled and turned to lead the way. Sidney had seen the outside of this house many times, but had never been inside its walls. He looked around at the baroque interior, and was a little surprised at how many original elements were still preserved in the house. He paused in the main hall to look at some of the frescoes.

“This is interesting, I’ve never been in here,” Sidney told Michael.

Michael laughed, “yeah, it’s taken some time to get used to. Most of the rooms are like this. Our home in Willingden is a half-timbered Tudor farm house. Nothing this... dramatic.” And he gestured to the Gothic lines of the ceiling and the ornateness of the decoration. He led Sidney down the hall into their living room, asked if he wanted water or anything, he knew Sidney was probably not drinking a week out from a race weekend.

“No, thank you,” Sidney smiled.

“So. What time do you plan to have my little sister home?” Michael was giving Sidney a hard time on purpose. He was teasing him, but he didn’t want him to know that yet. It couldn't hurt to make his sweat a little, he thought.

“Uuh, I suppose whenever she wants me to bring her home?” He asked. He swallowed and suddenly felt like he had misjudged how much Michael might have liked him.

Michael winked at him. “Good answer.” Sidney let out a relieved laugh, and looked down at his feet. This was awkward. Picking up a girl for a date, her big brother waiting to make sure he would behave himself. It felt like secondary school all over again. All his years of not seriously dating, had left him ill prepared for these types of scenarios. He hoped that Charlotte would be ready soon. As it turned out, luck was on his side, and he could hear the gentle clicking of high heels walking on the old stone floors in the hall. Sidney had to compose himself to not rush past Michael out into the hall to see her.

She had been relieved that more of her items had arrived from London just the day before. The short, dark blue, strapless cocktail dress fit perfectly, and she had bought a matching short jacket to go with it. It was made of a matte material, so it wasn’t shiny or overly formal. A structured bustier top with modern lines and seams, with a short, attached skirt that ended just below her mid-thigh. It was stretchy and gently skimmed over her features. Not too tight, and the built-in support meant that it fit like a glove and she did not have to worry about anything being uncomfortable, or shifting on her unexpectedly. Her hair was up again, but in a different way that her new stylist Nick had shown her. She had her matching jacket on and her clutch in her hand, ready to leave when Sidney came out of the living room with Michael.

When he saw her, he had to force himself to walk over to her slowly, and not rush to her. They had seen each other a couple times at headquarters during the last few days, but they had both been so busy with work things this week, that had been all the interaction they’d had except for the text messages. “Shall we?” Was all he could muster, as he smiled and motioned toward the front door. She smiled and led the way.

“I’ve got my key Michael, don’t wait up!” She called back into the house as they neared the door. He took quick steps to reach his car before she did, and opened the passenger door. She slid into the seat, and pulled her legs in after her. Only then did he notice the black, very high, very strappy heels that curved and crisscrossed over the top of her foot and around her ankle.

He looked at them, and then up at her. She had been watching him. He cocked his head to the side. “Those are… _very_ nice shoes, Dr. Heywood,” he said in his deep voice, teasing her as well as enjoying her choice of footwear.

“Why… thank you, Mr. Parker,” She teased in return in her own deep voice. 'And thank you Jimmy Choo,' she thought. She had been hoping that he would notice them, and better yet, like them as well.

He fairly jogged over to his door, and got in quickly. God, he wanted to kiss her right now, but their first kiss shouldn’t be sitting in his car, he thought. Instead he smiled and started their evening out with, “You are stunning, Charlotte.” She smiled at him, and her eyes were warm with the compliment.

“I could say the same to you, Sidney. You look quite dapper in that suit.” She was looking at him in his fitted black suit and french-blue shirt, the same way he was looking at her.

“Then I guess we should be off for our dinner reservation,” he said smiling. He tried to contain himself, this evening was going to be an exercise in restraint, he thought. But it was one he was more than willing to go through. Once they had arrived, the car was parked, and he walked around to her door to help her out. He had parked just down the block, so it was easy enough to walk there on a quiet Thursday night. He typically did not leave his car with the valets. Opening her door, he took her hand to help her up from the car. The heels were lovely, but even better, they had made her much taller when she stood in front of him. He knew he was going to have the same silly grin he’d been wearing, since she walked down the hall of her flat, stuck on his face for most of the night. Luckily, it seemed to bring out a similar smile on Charlotte as well.

She let him keep holding her hand as they walked past the few store fronts between the car, and The Crown Bistro. He had told her some of the information about the restaurant, and the building on the way there. He really knew his Sanditon history, she thought. Once inside, the Maître d’ recognized Sidney right away, and seemed surprised that he was here with a date. In all the years Mr. Wilcox’s family owned the property, he could not remember ever seeing Sidney Parker there with a date. No, he had only ever been there with family or with friends. He offered to check the lady’s coat, and then Sidney helped remove it from her shoulders after the button in front was undone.

His caught himself with a small intake of breath as he pulled the sleeves off of her arms, and discovered that her shoulders were bare underneath the evening jacket. He was immediately tempted to touch the golden exposed skin on her back, but sense overruled impulse. He was a gentleman, he reminded himself. Plus, he had promised, well almost everyone, that he would not follow his usual plan of conquest. She just did not know how incredibly difficult it was to maintain that promise at this point. Nor, did she even know that the discussion had been broached by more than a few individuals with him.

They were led through the refurbished, but original, Art Deco interior. The floors were covered in rich deep blue carpeting. Plush, dark blue, velvet, covered chairs, banquettes, and booths, occupied each table. The lighting was soft against the dark walls, where original gilded bronze sconces from the 20’s were interspersed throughout the space, shedding their warm light. They were assisted in the ambience, by the votive candles reflecting off the white table linens. He was in no hurry to get to the table, as he was able to follow her and take a longer look at the exquisite dress she was wearing. It highlighted all her best features. In truth, he thought all of her features were among her best, he confessed to himself. He shook his head a little, wondering how he had found himself here, with her, and what fortune he’d had that she had not gone to another racing team with all her talent. The chances that they could have _not_ intersected their lives at this point in time, were all too easy to admit. No, his new plan was too important to rush through. She was too important to him, personally, to risk losing by behaving rashly. But nothing was going to stop him from enjoying the view.

They had been seated near a quiet corner, in a small booth. It was calm, seated in all that blue, and the tall partitions between each booth, stationed against the walls, were giving them both privacy and intimacy in their conversation. They, of course, talked about work. She asked about Melbourne and the upcoming races. How that usually worked for the team, and for the drivers. She knew that the different departments and staff, traveled at different intervals during race weeks. He had attempted to try and make her feel at ease with his dietary choices, by encouraging her to order what she wanted and to drink what she wanted. He was driving her, after all.

She eventually decided to have a single glass of white wine with her locally caught fish for dinner, as she did have to go in early to work in the morning, but she rarely felt the need to drink. She enjoyed it, but it was more for celebrations, or to complement a good meal. This led to them talking about some of their regular habits. What they liked to eat, what they didn’t. What they liked to do for recreation, what did she miss from her home in Willingden, what types of weather they preferred, and then, which races were the hardest for him to race in because of the weather. It was Singapore. A really tough street circuit that is just below the equator. One of the longest races of the year, and the humidity was always in the high 80th to 90th percentiles, and the heat- even though the race was at night and under the lights- were some of the highest race temps of the year. “Brutal,” was what he had said to describe it.

“Something to think about,” Charlotte remarked with an apprehensive smile.

“I imagine it’s hard for you to stop thinking.” He didn’t want to get too serious, but what she had said had prompted the thought. “How do you turn it off, especially if your brain doesn’t want you to?” He asked.

They were enjoying their meals at that point, and she laughed a little at the question. “No one has really ever asked me that before.” It was refreshing. Most people thought she controlled her thoughts, but sometimes, the thoughts controlled her.

“Well, I just remembered that first day of testing. You were so engrossed with your work.” He said with a small grin. It wasn’t easy for him to admit that he had basically taken notice of everything she had done from the very beginning.

“Yes, well,” she blushed with a little embarrassment for that day. “I guess the first days on the job are always intimidating. It’s hard when there’s so much you want to do, but also don’t want to step on any toes.”

“Has that been hard at Parkers?” He was concerned a little now. He, personally, had not made the welcome a warm one.

“I suppose any new job is difficult in the first days. Other than my family, Parkers _is_ my first job.” It was strange to put it that way. She had been working so hard her whole life, but this really was her first job away from her father as her boss, or in an academic environment. “I will say that Arthur made the transition fairly easy. Not many people would want someone new coming in and changing things so quickly. I guess that is the nature of F1 though. Everything gets changed all the time. Everything gets questioned, evaluated, tested and retested. The only constant is development and change. I suppose its good that most of us have a science background; science is always changing.”

He smiled with a soft laugh. “I suppose you’re right, Charlotte, as I suspect you usually are…” He was looking in her eyes. Really looking into all that she held there. She smiled back.

“Not always right, as my sister Alison is quick to remind me. Well, the whole family really.” She smiled softly again, it didn't really bother her.

“I suppose it might take your whole family to prove you're wrong about something.” He said.

“You might be surprised,” she said. “Thinking scientifically most of the time, does not help with thinking about people, or ideas that aren’t really based in science. That’s probably why I like it so much, science and research. You always end up with something. Either it works or it doesn’t. Or it works, but not like you thought it would. It always leads you to the next question, the next hypothesis for the next experiment. The next project. One thing leads to another. It’s constantly changing.”

“So, in that way, you are constantly challenged.” He looked pointedly at her.

She laughed as she answered. “Yes, I suppose so.” She was finding _herself_ surprisingly challenged while talking with him. He was not an on the surface thinker. He seemed to understand her, and why she did what she did, and why she liked it. He did not just agree with her to make it look like he was listening or paying attention. He really was paying attention.

“But, as an answer to your _first_ question, turning off my thoughts has always been a challenge. My Aunt Augusta, my mother's sister, spent a lot of time with me when I was young, driving me wherever I needed to go for classes or school. Then she stayed with me at Cambridge from when I was 15 until I was 18, and helped me with that a lot. We worked on meditation; finding ways to focus on small things and to let the larger things fall away. Yoga, martial arts, anything that requires extreme focus. Running helps. I haven’t done nearly enough of that lately. And I also enjoyed swimming laps. Something about the rhythm of the strokes, the breathing patterns, it’s a lot like meditation. _But_ , if you’re having a _really_ hard time, being in your head, sensory deprived, while you’re underwater, can make things a _lot_ worse. I suppose it depends on the problem, or the thoughts.” She finally finished.

“Makes sense. I’ve tried a lot, if not all of those really, to help with focus training. I might recommend sea bathing when the weather turns warmer, as opposed to a pool. The waves don’t give you a chance to think too much.” He added with a smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She smiled at him. He had really put her at ease, talking about ways she had found to cope with challenges through her academic career. It seemed he had needed to find the same methods to manage his own thoughts while driving.

“Is it extremely difficult? I mean to say, I _know_ your job is extremely difficult, and is extremely physically and mentally demanding. But staying focused, staying out of your head, while you’re driving. Has that been challenging?” She had wondered about this before, especially listening on the team radios.

“The training helps. The consistent physical demands, it helps with keeping your head on. Helps you feel more confident, more on top of things. There were times, early on, where I didn’t manage that well. Having something to focus on. That can make all the difference.” He thought of Georgiana, after her dad passed. How his commitment to her, and her dad’s expectations of him, helped to ground his thoughts and his grief. “Also, many of those things you mentioned. I have done most of them over the years, and still do, when I need to. It also helps to have a race simulator at home. I can practice the tracks, develop some muscle memory for the driving lines, the corners and kerbs. Of course, it doesn’t account for rain, or wind, or temperature changes so much. But muscle memory has helped me through some tough races.”

“Perhaps I should develop some mental muscle memory to manage the long nights in the Engineering Department. If that’s possible.” She said with a smile.

“Well as long as Diana doesn’t catch you with ' _your_ ' doughnuts, I’m sure you are more than well prepared to manage it.” He said with a wink.

She laughed. She realized that she had laughed a lot on this date. She had been smiling a lot too. In fact, she had felt quite comfortable in his company. She should have probably felt a little intimidated. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard of him before working at Parkers. When she was in school, she didn’t always have time to watch races, or the practice sessions leading up to them. But she did still follow racing. It had been easier at Southampton, everyone there was studying race car design. It was impossible to not know who he was. With her, though, he seemed different. If she compared how they had met, to the Sidney sitting across from her at dinner, they were completely different people. That might have just been a bad day, but the change in him, at least around her, was significant.

“Would you like dessert?” He asked.

“After reading Diana’s ‘manifesto’ for my father, I think I will skip dessert.” She said with a twinkle in her eye. She had finished her wine with dinner, and though she was not tipsy, she did feel a little more relaxed than usual.

Sidney raised up his hand to get the attention of their waiter, and paid the check. He was not looking forward to taking her home. He didn’t even want to put her jacket over her shoulders. As they finally stepped outside onto the sidewalk, the air was calm, and stars were bright in the clear, dark, cloudless sky. He watched as she looked up at them, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“The air here, it’s so wonderful. I can hear the ocean, just over those buildings,” she said.

He had remembered that she and Michael had said that they really hadn’t seen the beaches since they had arrived. “Would you like to see it?” He looked down at her smiling.

She smiled at the suggestion. “Yes, I would love to.” She was not ready to go home either.

“Well, we have a few options. We can drive to the promenade, and walk next to the beach. Or on the beach, if you like, but it is chilly to go barefoot, and I don't think those shoes will do.” He said looking down at her beautiful feet. He smiled. Then he hesitated a moment and swallowed nervously. “Or, the terrace, behind my house, has a lovely view of the ocean out the back. It also has access down the steps and through the back garden, to the promenade and the beach. It’s just across the road.” His blood was pumping in his ears so loudly, he was worried he wouldn’t be able to hear her answer. He looked at her, waiting. Watching her think was beginning to feel like a spectator sport, he thought.

Her eyes were thinking, but it didn’t take as long as it had felt to Sidney. “I think I would like to see your terrace,” she said with a small smile. “That way if it gets chilly, we can go inside, or if it’s nice enough, go for a walk.” The best of all worlds she thought. And they would finally have some time alone that didn’t include sitting in his car.

He smiled, relieved. “The terrace it is.” He took her hand as they walked down the sidewalk, and he helped her back inside his car. He nervously ran his hand through his hair as he walked around to the driver’s side, but smiled at her as he sat down. He looped around the one-way streets of Old Sanditon, and then parked his car in front of his house. After that incident with the paparazzi, he had been more cautious in checking to see who might be lurking nearby, but he saw no warning signs as he walked to Charlotte’s door, before helping her out. 

He was pleased that he had taken some of Babington’s recommendations for adding ‘smart’ features to his home. He had turned on the lights from his phone right before they had left the parking space, and even adjusted the heat setting so that it would be warmer for her. He opened the front door, and ushered her inside the lit house. He gleefully took her jacket, and placed it on the antique hall tree near his front living room, and led her back to his kitchen/living room with the French doors that led to his terrace above his garden. He offered her some coffee or tea, but she declined, “maybe after we come back inside,” she answered.

He opened the doors onto his stone paved terrace that overlooked the ocean, and she walked over to the matching stone balustrade on the far side for the best view. Looking down, there were the Victorian iron street lamps and railings, along the promenade, separating it from the beach. She could see families and couples, and groups of friends walking along the well-kept wide sidewalk, and the narrow two lane street that separated the promenade from the long row of terraced homes. She could see the neighboring terraces, but it was quiet and the lights were not bright as many of their shades and curtains were drawn. She looked up for the stars, and she heard him say, “oh, wait…” and he pulled out his phone and turned off the lights that were on inside his house behind them. Once it was darker, the stars were brighter and easier to see.

“Do you like constellations?” He asked her.

“Oh yes. We used to look at them in Willingden. In the country they seem so much closer without any of the lights from town.” She smiled as she looked at him.

“Our parents used to drive us out, to the fields where headquarters is now, lay blankets out for us, and we would look at the stars and learn the constellations, and find the planets. That was when we were very young. Mum packed a large thermos with hot chocolate, and dad knew every constellation that came over Southern England.” He smiled at the memory. He looked down at her, and she was watching him.

“Which one was your favorite?” She asked.

“I always liked Orion, but I think that was because he was the easiest to find,” He chuckled, and he pointed up to where it was over the ocean.

“Ah yes, Orion, right next to Taurus on one side, and Canus Major, and then… Canus Minor,” and she was pointing up to where they were. She said, “I’ve always liked dogs.” Smiling at him again. He turned around looking above his house.

“Then this way,” as he turned, and leaned his legs back on the balustrade. “The Plough and Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Draco. I always liked the idea of a dragon in the sky, when I was a boy.” He was smiling and pointing up to where he could see them. But Charlotte hadn’t turned to look. She was looking at him. Happy, relaxed. Equally at home in an impeccable suit and sterling monogrammed cuff-links, but also the little boy laying on a blanket in the field, learning constellations with his parents.

The dim light from the promenade below was shining up at them, but the terraced houses, were muted, so hardly any light was coming from behind her or in front of him. She was following his face as he talked, and searched the sky. Finally, he looked down and saw her watching him, and not the stars. Time stopped. His eyes were dark as they focused in the dim light, but he could see her affectionate, almost nostalgic expression. She was standing closer than he remembered. He saw her shiver with a quick breeze that came over the terrace from the ocean, stirring her loose curls from her updo with it. It almost snapped her out of the spell she seemed to be under.

He took off his jacket, and stood. He moved the jacket around her, to place it on her bare shoulders, but as he pulled the lapels together in front of her, he didn’t let go. He moved himself toward her, standing taller in those heels he was going to have day dreams about. She was still looking up at him, like she was reading a book, watching him. She didn’t push away. She did not protest. She was like a magnet he could not pull away from. North and south poles. Connected. He didn’t think, he couldn’t think. He could only act. He moved slowly, taking in each look, each curl around her face, her long lashes as her eyes closed, her pink lips as her head tilted back, and then he lost himself in her. Slowly, sweetly at first, they kissed. She reached up to hold his arm to steady her, and when he felt her stumble slightly, he pulled his right arm around her waist holding her. She felt better in his arms than in any of his dreams or fantasies that had been driving him to distraction for weeks. His left hand finally moved between her shoulder blades to tilt her back and to better reach her mouth with his. Her hands were in his hair and on the back of his neck. Her fingertips sending electricity down his spine. Their embrace became more desperate as they their kiss enveloped them, and pulled them even closer. Stealing breath where they could, finally separating and catching the sea breezes through their gasps. He leaned his forehead against hers, but neither of them pulled away.

“Charlotte.” It was a whisper. His eyes were closed, and he moved his lips to her ear, kissing her warm skin, and then down the side of her neck. Kissing along her pulse, and where her neck met with her bare shoulder, and then back up under ear. Her heart beat felt like it was pounding as fast as his own. Whispering her name all the while. “Charlotte,” until he finally laid his forehead in the crook of her neck. She moved her right hand from the nape of his neck, trailing her finger tips through the hair at his temples, gently dragging her finger nails through his short curls with a slight touch.

“Sidney.” She whispered back. He slowly raised his head, just enough to look into her eyes. She gave him a slightly bashful smile. He dipped his face to meet her lips with his, and tilted her face back from the gentle force of his kiss. Less fervent, but no less desperate to connect with her. He finally had to stop himself before he went any further.

“You must be freezing out here. Should we go inside?” He did not mean it as a way to get her in his bed. He did not want to be so publicly exposed, even if most of the lights were off. She looked at him with those incredible wide eyes, and nodded. He could barely get himself to let go of her, but she grabbed his hand as they walked back to the French doors to his house. Once inside, she took off his jacket, and laid it on the back of his sofa near the doors. Only the light from outside was shining on the skin of her shoulders. ‘God help me,’ he thought. Then, “water? Do you want some water?” He flipped a switch turning on some under cabinet lights, and walked quickly into the white kitchen, taking out two glasses and setting them on the carrara marble counter. He took out a bottle of water from the fridge to fill them. He turned, and she had started walking toward him, around the large island. He held the glass toward her, but she moved slowly. Her brows looked serious. She was definitely thinking. She finally took the glass, and he drank from his own to try and cool himself down.

She took a sip of the water and then licked the droplets from her lips before biting her top lip. She was killing him, and he was trying to take a moment to think. And he was having trouble thinking right now. He also knew from her expression that something was wrong. She had put her glass down on the island behind her, and he did the same. He reached for her hand. She had been looking away, until she felt him holding her fingers, and rubbing the soft skin of her palm. He searched her face. Finally, he spoke. “I’m sorry, that was too soon wasn’t it? I should have asked, or have gotten your consent, something, anything. I... I’m …”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “No Sidney. It wasn’t too soon. I wanted you to kiss me.” She was still looking at him and her smile grew more playful. “I think you know me well enough, to know that if I didn’t want you to kiss me, I would have told you.” Her eyes were teasing him now.

He let out a relieved laugh. “True.” And he nodded in agreement. They were holding hands, in his kitchen, facing each other. The playful tone had helped him to think better. He was looking down as he was playing with the slim fingers of her hand. After a few minutes, he spoke again. “Charlotte, I want to do this right. I want _us_ to do this right. I don’t want to rush anything, and I don’t want to regret _anything_ between us.” He looked up from her their hands that were intertwined. His eyes were earnest, and he looked vulnerable in a way she had not seen before. She opened her mouth to speak, but had to bite the inside edge of her lip when he continued. “Even if you wanted to stay the night with me, and believe me,” he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them again. “There is nothing I want more right now in this world, but for you to stay with me.” He was looking at her and his eyes softened. "This was our first real date. The first of what I hope are many, many… many dates.” And his smile relaxed again, and then her face did too, finally releasing her lip from her teeth. “I want to do the right thing, the respectful thing. Show you that I mean what I say. That you are more to me than just… well… more than anything I had ever hoped to find in my lifetime.” He dropped his face a little as he said it. It was like he had taken his heart out of his chest, and laid it out on the cold marble slab in front of him.

“Sidney,” she reached her right hand up, and laid it on his cheek, getting him to look her in the eye. She smiled, and was shaking her head just a little, almost like she was trying to figure him out. “You are... unlike any man I have _ever_ known.” When she looked at him, it felt like her eyes had reached inside of his, and sparked a flame in his chest. She pulled him to her as she kissed him, tenderly, and with more emotion opening up between them. After a time, he had to catch his breath, and he pulled back and looked down at her, she was so beautiful. Her skin always had a golden glow, and with her leaning back just a little, with her hips against his kitchen island, and with the neckline of her strapless dress, the effect was mesmerizing. He sighed.

“I’ve done a lot of difficult things, a lot of _hard_ things in my life.” He looked at her directly before continuing. “Driving you home tonight, will be the hardest thing I have ever done so far.” His eyes were intense, and she smiled softly at him.

“Sidney...Letting you take me home tonight, will be one of the hardest things I will have ever done in _my_ life.” She replied. She meant it.

He threw his head back laughing. Smiling, he found her eyes with his again, and with his smooth deep voice, said, “Coming from _you_ , Dr. Heywood. I shall own that as the _greatest_ compliment imaginable.”


	26. Labels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all fluff and loveliness..... Mostly.
> 
> Please note that I have adjusted the rating to an M from a Teen rating. I am not planning on moving toward an E, but as the characters are adults, It makes sense to expect them to behave as such.

Chapter 26

Labels

They spent some time leaning on the kitchen island, talking, drinking the water that Sidney had poured for them in his desperation to find a minute to think. Avoiding the end of their evening, more than anything else.

“You practically ran away from me when we came inside. Am I really that scary?” She was teasing him, but he still hadn’t explained his sudden down shift.

He grinned and looked down at his glass. “No. not scary.” He looked up at her. She was leaning forward with her forearms resting on the tall counter, and he couldn’t help but slowly run the back of his index finger from the top of her arm, around the bend of her elbow, and down to her wrist. Where he finally pulled his fingers on that hand slowly into a fist. “It’s not that. What we talked about before, it’s really important to me.” His brows were furrowed, but he was also trying to grin at her, to know the problem wasn’t with her. He inhaled and seemed to find some courage. “I don’t ‘date’, per se. I haven’t, in well 7 years… and that was someone I had dated for 2 years already. So, this is my first _actual_ ‘first date’ in about 9 years.”

She almost dropped her jaw, but refrained. “But, you go out with people. I’ve seen some of the stories. Some were even sent to me by, I suppose, _well meaning_ friends after our own photos in the tabloids.”

He wasn’t thrilled to hear that, but it was the truth. “Yes, well, going out or spending time with someone isn’t really dating, in my book.” He tried to explain without coming across as a womanizer, but he guessed that he probably was.

“So… hookups?” She asked very matter of fact.

He cleared his throat, “I suppose that’s a clearer way of putting it, yes.”

She just nodded, thinking again. “So, that’s why, earlier, you were saying you wanted to do this differently. _Not_ a ‘hookup.’” It wasn’t a question, but it _almost_ was.

His eyes got wide, almost in a panic. “No! nothing like that.” He blurted out, and she smiled at him trying to reassure him. “I just feel like… a novice… like it almost feels brand-new to me.” He said more softly.

She was thinking about him, also thinking about the 7 years of not letting anyone in, but also understanding why. She hadn’t nearly the experiences that he had in those 7 years, but emotionally, she felt she understood. Surprisingly, it didn’t bother her. An old friend from Southampton U. had mentioned something about that in an email. The number of women he had been with. It was out of concern, but it hadn’t bothered her for some reason.

“Sidney,” she reached for his shirt sleeve, still fastened with his cuff-links. She laid her hand on his forearm and looked up at him. “When I said you are unlike any man I have ever known, I meant it.” She took a breath and paused. “This is new to me too.” Her wise brown eyes softened and smiled at him.

The corners of his eyes spread into a smile, and he nodded. Understanding that for both of them, this would be a learning experience. He reached for her hand on his arm and held it for a minute. Suddenly his eyes focused on her wrist, his head turned awkwardly, and he looked at the time on her watch. Surprised, he said, “It’s 10:45. Don’t you have to be in early tomorrow?” He asked concerned.

“Is it really?!” She stood up, and looked down at the gold, dress-watch her parents had given her for graduation from Cambridge. “I can’t believe it’s that late already!” She had completely lost track of time.

He sighed, standing up as well. “I guess it’s time then.” He said. His disappointment was evident.

Her brows furrowed as well, “I guess so.” Neither of them wanted to part from the other, but life and duties called, and they demanded an early wake-up time.

He saw her reaction, and moved closer along the island toward her, until he could wrap his arms around her. He looked down at her and smiled. “I guess it’s time for the _worst_ part of my day,” he said playfully as he looked down at her. So close to her.

She broke with laughter, and put her hands up on his chest, facing him. She looked up at him, still smiling. “It is _definitely_ the worst part of _my_ day. Even if I _do_ like riding in your lovely car.” She said playfully back.

“Oh, do you?” He said with fake offense. “Well… I am afraid, my car is equally fond… of you being in it.” He added in a much softer and even seductive tone. His hands moved up to her cheeks as he spoke, and he leaned down to kiss her again. It was slow, and soft. And spoke of promises for many more kisses like that to come. They paused to catch their breath. “I suppose, I shouldn’t keep my car waiting any longer, to have the honor of driving you home?” He said it softly, reluctantly, and a little out of breath.

She shook her head no. Also catching her breath. “No, I suppose not,” but she wasn’t happy about it. He reached down for her hand and slowly led her to the front hall, helped her put on her jacket, and held her hand all the way outside, until he finally had to let it go to close the car door behind her. 

The ride home was quiet, except for a few glances that were met with smiles when they caught each other’s eyes. There really wasn’t much more to say. They both were feeling the disappointment of the end of the night. The Porsche growled low as he eased it down the drive. He helped her out, and she held his hand as he followed behind her to her door. She turned as he reached the top step where she was. Her key was in her hand, but she wasn’t moving to unlock the door just yet. She smiled gently at him. “I think that was the best date I have ever been on.” Smiling even bigger as she said it.

“I think, that this is one of the best _evenings_ I have ever had.” His eyes were serious but also a little surprised at how true it was. He felt that he could trust her. Really trust her. So many of his insecurities had been plaguing him since they had met. All of them adding up to him not feeling that he was good enough for her. But, if she thought he was, and as _smart_ as she was, she must be right. Right? He looked around them, quickly, and through the window covered doors, checking. Once he thought they had a small amount of privacy on the well-lit steps, he kissed her softly one last time. “Truly… I can’t remember ever having a better time, Charlotte.” He smiled again. “Good-night.”

She smiled at him back. “Good-night, Sidney.” And then he watched as she went through her door, and saw as she looked back at him, before he waved and jogged down the steps and got back into his car.

***

The next morning was very early. She’d had some trouble going to sleep, thinking about everything that had happened, and what they had talked about. Even at work, she was distracted, and Arthur had to get her attention more than once. They had talked a little about the date, and how well it went, so he knew why she was working a little slower than she usually did. But, he thought, it was still faster than anyone else in the department. Plus, if his brother was even half as happy as she seemed to be, he would be delighted to pull some extra weight for the day. Decisions were finalized, inventory was taken as the remaining items were triple checked, carefully packed, catalogued, and clearly labeled on the outside of each trolley or box. The air freight containers were also labeled, and then lined up by the lorry bay doors, ready for the crew to transport to the plane. Michael would be done later with his work as well, and decided that he would also go home with Charlotte and check on the family. 

Since they had started early, and had been planning well all week, Charlotte had been able to plan to leave by 2:00. She still needed to pack, pick up food for her father from Diana, and then Michael should be home around 4, and then they could leave soon after. Happily, Sidney had been texting her all morning. Before and after his run, and in between his many training tasks, and small meals.

S: Did you sleep well? 😴

C: Mostly. Once I finally fell asleep. Took ages though 🥱

S: You too? I even thought about just staying up, but that would have made the torture even more unbearable. 

When do you leave for your parents?

C: We are finishing up here soon. Almost everything is packed up, and ready. Getting a quick lunch with Arthur, closing up shop in the department, then heading home to pack and get on the road.

S: If it’s not a nuisance can I come see you? 😁

C: You can 😊 If you have the time. I also need to go by Diana’s before heading back to the flat. She has some things ready for me to bring to my Dad. 

S: I can make the time.😘

Even better, I can bring the items from Diana’s to you. Does that help?

C: Most certainly does help, especially if I get to see you sooner. 😘

She was smiling the whole day, and her cheeks were starting to get sore from using muscles to smile that she never had to use so often. At lunch, it had been difficult to even feel hungry. It was like floating in a bubble all day. She hated that she was leaving town, but she also really wanted to see her parents, visit home, see her siblings, and have a moment to breathe. She already knew her parents were going to have a lot of questions for her. They should mostly have been about work, but now that things had changed for her personally, she knew that most of them would now be about Sidney.

When she got home, she opened her smallest wheeled suitcase, and started packing. She didn’t need much for two nights, and even decided to grab a couple items from the things she had boxed up from her previous wardrobe. She might need some things for walking around the farm, or checking on things in the Kart workshop. She could at least try to be helpful while she was there. It dawned on her suddenly. The contrast between her old life and her new one. She shook it off. There wasn’t enough time to ponder life’s crossroads, and how it all seemed to relate to what she wore, somehow. The doorbell rang.

She stumbled over the box she was going through in order to get the door. She stopped before turning down the short foyer in front of the flat’s entrance, so that it didn’t look like she was actually desperate to see him. He was there, holding two large coolers and smiling as he saw her through the windows. Opening the two French doors, she said “come in,” and motioned to where he could put the coolers down against the wall. He stood up and turned, smiling at her.

It was hard to tell which one of them moved first. Probably Sidney because of his lightning reflexes, but with as excited as she was to see him, it could have easily been Charlotte. Whichever one moved faster, it didn’t matter, because they were in each other’s arms and kissing fervently, playfully, happily, before the doors were even closed. Charlotte was finally able to notice the french doors swinging back and forth on their hinges, and with her arms still around his neck moved to close the doors with her foot. That didn’t work. She finally needed to separate, somewhat, in order to try again. One arm reaching out, one foot stretched toward the two doors, Sidney still clinging to her waist, moving his lips from her lips, to her cheek, to her neck, as she turned her head, needing see what she was doing. Laughing, she pushed him off, just a little, so that she had both hands free to latch the doors together.

He put is arms around her waist and buried his face in the space behind her ear, kissing the back of her neck. Using his left hand, he brushed her long curls out of the way to give himself better access. “Oh. Sidney! God you are not making this trip home very easy.” She said, breathlessly. He laughed into her neck, quite satisfied with himself. “Come on, you can help me while I pack.” She turned around and kissed him a few moments longer before she groaned in anticipated disappointment at having to leave. Again. Last night had been bad enough. This moment was joyous, and it was even worse having to think about leaving again. “C’mon,” and she took his hand and led him back into their vast apartment.

The door to her room was open, and she moved to put the box she had been going through back in the corner behind the door, where it had been. Sidney was looking around. “This room is enormous!” He said, as he looked up at the soaring ceilings, and again more frescoes on the walls. She had a large bed on the far wall, a low dresser next to it, and a single window overlooking the large lake on the property. There was a fireplace on the wall just to the left of the door when they walked in, but the flue had been bricked over, and it was only decorative now. An old damask covered wing back chair was in the corner by the fireplace, and the adjoining wall had two more tall windows. Her room was at a corner of the house, and under the windows, there was a long, low, built in book case. It ran down the length of the wall, and there were a couple boxes of books still unpacked next to it. She had obviously been using the part of the book case by her bed as a nightstand, with a phone and watch charging stand, plus a small digital clock. On the right-hand wall was an imposingly large antique armoire, and another door. Maybe a bathroom or a closet, he thought.

She moved over to where her small suitcase was opened up on the bed. “I’m sorry it’s such a mess. I still haven’t gotten through all the boxes since we got here.” She was a little embarrassed. His house was immaculate. He must have a housekeeper to helped keep it clean because it was perfect both times that she had been there.

“Well, it’s a rental. How much do you really want to unpack?” He said with a smile. His hands were in the pockets of his jeans, as she was moving between the dresser and her suitcase.

She gave a short laugh, “True. Plus, we’ve hardly even been here.” She opened the mystery door, and it was indeed a bathroom, as she had come back out with a toiletries kit, and placed it in the open case. She opened the armoire, and went through the shelves on the left side, grabbing a stack of shirts, and then quickly flipped through the hangers on the right-side hanging rod, finding a jacket. He had moved closer to where she was working, trying to finish her packing quickly. He looked at the ornate armoire, it really was a magnificent piece that would only fit in a house like this.

“The furniture in here, it’s not what I would expect in a rental flat.” He said. He moved closer to the armoire to admire the hand carved elements that covered the piece.

She smiled, “Yes, I think Esther had a few pieces from Sanditon House brought over for us to make it more homely. She’s thoughtful like that.”

Not what he would have expected from Esther, but then again, he wasn’t her closest friend like Charlotte was. He looked closer at it, and saw all her things inside, folded, boxed, hanging. His eyes caught the dress she had worn last night, and he slowly reached in to touch the fabric. He couldn’t help his half grin, thinking about how she had looked in it. She must have seen him, since she walked over silently.

“I take it you liked the dress?” He turned to look at her, she was just behind his left shoulder.

He smiled again, “You could say that I liked the dress very much, but that I liked the woman wearing it even more.” His eyes grew more serious as he spoke, and then he reached to move a curl away from her face. She smiled up at him.

God he was handsome, and when he spoke like that to her, she was completely helpless against any of his charms. She could see how so many women had wanted to be with him. She swallowed hard at the thought, and suddenly felt nerves at the top of her stomach that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Just under her sternum, it was a specific sensation that only ever came with her feeling inadequate, or insecure. It was ridiculous she told herself. After everything they had talked about, after everything he had said to her last night, even right now! But it was an old “injury.” A nagging pain that sometimes returned in moments of weakness. She knew the first time she had felt it, she knew what it meant. Suddenly flashes of memories flew through her head like a slideshow, and she worked hard to subdue them.

“Hey,” he said. He looked concerned. “What’s wrong?” His eyes were looking between her eyes, her sudden loss of color in her cheeks, and how her breathing had changed. She shook her head to try and move past it.

“Nothing, _really_ wrong.” She said, hoping they would just move past it.

“Could’ve fooled me,” he added.

“Just a … flash of a memory, that’s all. Not recent. Not about last night. Just, came out of nowhere.” She finished, and drifted off at the end.

That did not reassure him, but she obviously wasn’t ready to talk about whatever it was. “OK.” He paused, and decided to change the subject. “Is there anything I can help you with? I’m great at lifting luggage. Georgiana makes me do it _all_ the time.” He said with a grin.

That helped her smile to return. “I’m almost finished, then that would be most helpful,” she added brightly. He watched as she put more things in her suitcase. He didn’t look at what any of it was, he just watched her. He hated that he wasn’t going to see her again until Sunday lunch. Then they would all be boarding the flight to Melbourne on the chartered plane for the entire crew. There would be no time to be alone with her. When she eventually closed the two heavy clasps that closed the sleek silver case, he came over and put it on the floor. He sat on the bed next to where she was standing and pulled her on to his lap, with his hands clasped together around her waist.

“I am going to miss you so much.” Then he sighed thinking that it was feeling like an eternity until he would see her again. Their faces were at the same height with her legs laying over his, and dangling over his right leg. Her arms were straight over his shoulders around his neck, and she moved them so that her hands were gently combing through his hair, away from his face. His eyes closed, and his face relaxed at her touch. Her head just tilted to the side as she looked at him. She had been surprised at how vulnerable he let himself be around her. Especially so soon in their getting to know each other. He opened his eyes, and she had a small sweet smile, and her eyes were looking at him like she fully understood what he meant.

“I suppose I am making a very big fool of myself,” he said with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

“No more than I am making of myself,” she added with her eyebrows raised as she looked at him.

“Ah, but no one could ever think of calling you a fool, Dr. Heywood. You are far too interesting, fascinating, and… beguiling to ever be thought a fool.” He said softly, and smiled. She blushed at his words. He noticed the magenta flush working its way down from her neck to her chest. He found himself running his right index finger from her dimpled chin, slowly down, straight along the center of her neck, until it stopped at the scoop shaped neckline of her t-shirt. She tilted her head back at the gentle sensation of his subtle touch, and her breath hitched as he reached the end of the line he had drawn.

“Absolutely beguiling,” he uttered softly. He dropped his head slowly until his lips had found the notch at the base of her throat. A small sound escaped from her own lips, and her breathing became rapid, as his lips caressed the hollow between her neck and her chest. The stubble of his neatly trimmed scruff added an intense sensation against her skin. He was holding her with both hands on her back and lowered her to the coverlet on top of the bed. He continued to gently kiss along her neck, as his hands explored her, slowly, and with a soft touch. He had wanted to touch her, embrace her, hold her, for what felt like a lifetime. He did not want to rush through this real-life experience.

She felt as if she was both floating, and grounded at the same time. Each point of pressure she felt from the mattress underneath her, to the slight touches he gave as he moved his hands and his body above hers that made her feel like one with air around her. Almost like her body and her soul were being separated from the intensity that her nerve endings were sending back to her brain. She finally pulled his head up so that she could kiss his mouth, and run her own hands over his body the way he was doing to her. It was slow, her delicate fingers traced the edges of his muscles through his t-shirt, until her mouth and the sensations of him, under her finger tips, left her out of breath and a tingling mass of electricity. She wondered if he’d had the same experience.

Sidney could not help himself, and when she welcomed his touch, and his mouth on her skin, and on her lips, it was an experience that he had not felt before. There was something when they came together. Like the two of them together created something entirely new through the synergy between them. Her touch had always felt electric. But what they shared as they touched one another, the heat felt like an energy field binding them together. He needed air as much as she did when they finally paused.

“You are making it impossible for me to want to leave,” she said breathlessly.

“If it was anyone other than your parents, I would _absolutely_ make it impossible for you to leave,” and he reached for her chin to turn it toward his so that he could kiss her again.

Between his passionate kisses, she managed to add, “I’ll be sure… to tell them… of… your sacrifice when I see them.” And she intensified the kiss until he needed a breath.

“Oh, please don’t,” he said with a smile. “I prefer to keep this just between us.” She laughed, as his fingers caressed her cheek.

They spent just a little more time with their soft touches, and sweet sentiments, until they heard the front door open and close. Michael had seen Sidney’s distinctive car out front, and thought it might be a good idea to make his presence known. Loudly, so that they could hear that he was home. “I’m home, Lottie!” He called out down the hallway toward her room.

“Lottie?” Sidney raised an eyebrow. “Well, isn’t that adorable,” and he leaned in to suckle on her neck once again.

She giggled and covered her mouth so that her brother would not be able to hear. Then she covered both of Sidney’s ears before she called out, “OK, Michael, still packing.” Sidney finally dropped his head down on her shoulder, and groaned.

“I’ll see you Sunday, right? At lunch?” She nodded. “And the flight. Can I at least drive you to the airport?” She smiled and nodded again.

“I’d like that,” she answered.

“Will you sit in the pod next to me on the plane?” He asked.

“Pod?” She had never flown to Australia before.

“Yes, more of a pod than just a seat. Everything reclines back to make a small bed so that you can sleep. The plane will have to stop to refuel, probably in Abu Dhabi, but the whole trip takes almost 23 hours.” Her jaw dropped.

“Why has no one warned me of this? Why didn’t I at least look it up? I’ve been so obsessed with the cars and making sure we had everything, I didn’t even think about the flight!” Her eyes were huge.

He laughed a little at the dichotomy, how her work life seemed to override her personal life. Which then had him a little worried about what that could mean for them. But he brushed it aside.

“So, uuh. What are you planning to tell your parents and family about us?” He had been thinking about this, and finally had the nerve to ask.

“What do _you_ think I should tell them about us?” Her brows tightened a little together, and the furrow between them just hinted at showing itself.

“I don’t know, I’m so unaccustomed to this… what does one say to family in regards to their ‘significant other?’” He asked rather seriously.

She coyly smiled up at him. “I don’t know. _Am I_ your ‘significant other?’”

She relaxed more when he smiled back. “I would dearly hope that you are after the last 24 hours.” He said with a smirk. “Either that, or I’m not trying hard enough.” His brows adapted to a serious line. Then his eyes were teasing her, along with his smirk. It would have been impossible to think of her in any other way since she was also currently entangled in his arms and his legs. “Besides, ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend,’ doesn’t really seem mature enough for us.” He added.

“No, quite right. Much too _mature_ for that!” She teased him.

He laughed. “I forget you’re only 23. You’ve lived so much until now. You certainly don’t act like I did when I was 23.” He shook his head. “It’s a good thing you didn’t know me then.”

“I only care about who you are now,” she answered, and kissed him lightly.

He took a deep breath as he looked at her. His crooked grin showing how content he was in this moment. “Then I better get used to calling you my girlfriend, and hearing you call me your boyfriend, since there really isn’t any other words to use that I think would describe us.” He paused as he looked at her. “Is that OK?” His chest tightened, was he moving too fast?

She was still looking up at him. “I think it’s far easier to say than ‘significant other,’ don’t you?” She smiled.

“Yes, I quite agree.” He smiled at her playfully, and pretended to be serious. “You know, I have the most _brilliant_ girlfriend.” She laughed, and it sounded so lovely to hear him say it.

“And I, have the most thoughtful and _wonderful_ boyfriend.” She said softly, and kissed him through her smiling lips.


	27. Willingden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick warning: general references to cancer treatment are referenced in this chapter.

Chapter 27

Willingden

The trip to Willingden only took about an hour, so Charlotte and Michael arrived well before dinner, but after tea. They were swamped by the two youngest Heywoods as they arrived. They had been kicking the football in the courtyard hoping to see them first. Oliver and Rose, the 8-year-old twins, looked up to Michael and Charlotte as almost an aunt or uncle. They were living lives they hoped to emulate. Grown, out of the family house, adventurous, successful. The epitome of what all young children think will be awaiting them in their own adulthood. The realities are often, really always, different. Even if everything looks bright and shiny from the outside.

“Michael! Charlotte! We’ve missed you sooo much! How’s Sanditon? Are the cars much faster now, Charlotte?” Oliver was clutching at her waist in a hug, and Rose was already on Michael’s hip before they could bring out their luggage or the coolers from the car. They enlisted the talkative duo to help roll in their luggage while they carried in the coolers directly to the kitchen. Anna was there, happy to help and to put all the things from Diana in their proper spots in the fridge and the ice box. Then their mother found them.

“My dears! How we’ve missed you!” Caroline Heywood was happy to have her family all under one roof for even a couple nights. It had been such a rare thing from the time that Charlotte had left home for university, and Michael was off at boarding school. Now, Timothy had moved back and into one of the cottages on the estate, Allison was in her 6th year at a day program at the same school as Sara who was 12, and Jonathon who was 10 was still at the local primary school with the twins. “Let us make you some tea, and you can get your things settled in.”

In a short few minutes, Charlotte and Michael were back at the long worn-in kitchen table that hadn’t moved from the same spot for a few generations. Mopping the old stone floor, was the only time the heavy slab of wood was slid over a few inches, and was moved right back. Sara and Jonathon had heard the commotion and had come to visit. Asking more questions, and reminding Charlotte that she had brought team T-shirts for the family that she had left in her room. Like most of the Heywoods, they couldn’t sit still for long. Charlotte had sent Sara to get the shirts off her bed, and after they had been handed out, the two of them were gone outside to practice bowling and batting with the twins until dinner.

Their mother had retreated back into the house, as she was now managing the business accounts, and had calls to return and appointments to make. Joseph Heywood, had slowly moved his way into the kitchen to have one of his smoothies. They had actually been very helpful with some of the nausea he had from chemo. Those, and a recommended kombucha tea from his own Oncologist, that helped ease the queasiness. Tight hugs from his two eldest children, and then a detailed filling-in of business matters at Parker’s with their patriarch and boss, followed. There was a thorough review of all the information they had learned so far, in regards to how things were developing with the cars. Then he was obliged to explain in more detail how his treatments were going, and what his scans and blood work were showing. It was early, and the radiation had helped, but he still had many, many months of treatment left to go.

Business and medical catch-up now aside, everyone relaxed, and more personal conversations were broached. “You said James is doing well.” Mr. Heywood was asking Michael He was still biding his time for the things he really wanted to discuss.

“Yeah! Really well. Did great in the car at testing, he’s adjusting well, the team seems to really like him. Yeah, so far, it’s been really good.” He responded and looked over at Charlotte who appeared to be thinking.

“You agree, Charlotte?” Her father asked.

“Well, yes. In the car he is doing quite well. Engineers and mechanics seem to be happy working on his car, glad that he’s driving it. So… yes.” She answered, but also seemed a little hesitant.

“What?” Her Papa asked her directly. He knew her moods, and how she analyzed things. She may have gotten her competitive nature from her mother, but she got her mathematical and analytical brain from her father.

“Nothing really, it was an odd conversation… I think he was concerned about the publicity we had gotten from… the pictures.” She added the last part softly, she had been trying to avoid that topic.

“You didn’t tell me about this? How was it odd?” Michael asked. This was _his_ driver. He worked as his racing engineer! If he’d had any problems or concerns, why didn’t he ask Michael himself, he thought.

“It was just the other week. He had lunch with Arthur and me. We talked a lot about the changes we were making on the cars, and then he asked to talk to me, separately.” Charlotte added, but she had not seen that Timothy had walked in behind her, returning from a training session with a client.

“Lottie!” He hugged her hello. “What ‘odd’ conversation are you three trying to figure out?” He looked at the 3 sitting at the table, knowing that they were all brilliant in their own ways. He also knew that certain social, or ‘soft’ skills and understandings were a reach for them sometimes.

Michael had stood up to hug his brother, and explained after a couple pats on the back. “Oh, just some conversation with James. He can be an enigma sometimes.”

At this Timothy gave a deep hearty laugh. “Let me guess, he’s all bent out of shape that Lottie here is entangled with the other team driver.”

“What?!” Charlotte asked. “I told him, Timmy, nothing was going to interfere with how we took care of him and his car, and making sure that he got all the attention he deserved.” She was a little indignant that this had come up more than once now.

Timothy took the chair next to Charlotte and turned it around, straddling the chair and leaning on its tall back while he faced her. “Lottie.” He shook his head. “When are you going to learn that there is more to you than just your brain?” He tapped with his finger the spot where her brows were pinched together, confused. Timothy looked down. “You’re my sister, and this is a weird conversation to be having about another person, who I also consider to be my friend. It’s something I noticed last year at the end of the season.” Her eyes indicated that she was not catching on. “Well, I guess he kept it pretty well hidden, but I saw it… He likes you Charlotte. As in, he likes you a LOT. Also, he probably is not happy that you appear to be dating someone else.”

Her eyes grew as he had gone on, and explained. She had no idea. “But?” She stalled and tried to think back. “But he never said, or even let on.” She was shaking her head thinking back to the conversation the other week. The other interactions she had had with him since then, and the conversations she had had with him for the last 8 months. "That’s what he had meant," a realization hitting her. She gasped. “That’s why Arthur was asking me so many questions about what he had said. He knew!”

“Lotts, you haven’t done anything wrong, if he never said anything, and if you didn’t have similar feelings for him, what are you supposed to do?” For being the first one of the children to have not excelled in maths and sciences in school, Timothy had a list of other talents those first children didn’t have. He understood people, and what motivated them.

“He certainly never told me anything, we’ve been out at the pubs, and meeting girls since last year.” Michael added questioningly. “Are you sure?” Timothy rolled his eyes at him.

“Yes. Yes, I _am_ sure, Michael.” Timothy added, a little annoyed. They were so smart, about so many things, it was hard for them sometimes to realize or admit that they had missed something. “It’s something I saw a long time ago. I also noticed that Lottie here, never reciprocated, so it seemed pointless to bring it up.” And it was pointless. It would have only made her uncomfortable, but at this point if James had approached her about her new relationship, she needed to know.

Mr. Joseph Heywood had been uncharacteristically quiet during this entire exchange. This was his little girl they had been talking about. It had been hard enough to let her go to Cambridge, when she should have been in boarding school, at least then his sister-in-law had been with her. Then it was Southampton, and even Boston, Massachusetts. He had hidden, or rather, stuffed his feelings and concerns down for most of his Charlotte’s life. His daughter felt his eyes focused on her for the last few minutes, unwavering, and she turned to meet his gaze.

“Let’s set all that aside for a minute.” He took command over the table, and the three progenies at the table suddenly paid attention like they were witnesses in front of a judge. They knew that tone he was using, and Charlotte’s stomach sank. Her personal life was now an open topic for her family to discuss and to weigh-in with their opinions. “Tell me about Sidney Parker, Charlotte.” It wasn’t a question. It was a command from a man who was ill, tired, and felt like he had no more time to waste.

Charlotte slightly licked her lips and pressed them together between her teeth. This was more embarrassing than she thought it was going to be. “Papa, Sidney has been…” and she stopped, where on earth was she supposed to start?! “Sidney Parker was not easy to get to know, in the beginning. In fact, it was quite awkward.” She took a moment. “Once we had finally started to talk, and have real conversations, I was… well, I was surprised by how intelligent he is.” ‘Breathe Charlotte,’ tell them good things, she told herself. Maybe Michael would jump in, but after the way her father had spoken, she was sure that he probably wouldn’t. At least not yet. “We spent time getting to know one another, and we only went on our first real date last night.” She was blushing now, from both the spot her father had put her on, and the memories from just 24 hours ago.

Her father’s eyes were still focused on her. He knew this was difficult for her, but he also wanted to know what he had inadvertently put his daughter into with this agreement with Parker Racing. This was the last thing he had expected to happen. “And how did that ‘date’ go?” He finally asked. Michael was hanging his head down, trying to stay out of it. Especially since she and Sidney had been in her room when he got home that afternoon before they left.

She took a deep breath and straightened her back, and looked her father square in the eye as her chin tilted up. “If you _must_ know, it went very, well. It went _so_ well, that we decided we will be seeing each other, exclusively.” She said it almost as a dare, to her father and her brothers all seated around and in front of her, to try and argue with her about it.

Michael’s head snapped up. “You did?” He asked surprised.

“Yes, Michael, we did.” And he grinned at her answer.

As it is often the case in a family of 10, Alison had returned from her time coaching young drivers at the karting track after school, and had walked in from the courtyard as this conversation had been going on. At this news, she jumped in.

“Good for you Charlotte. Why shouldn’t you date him?” She announced her presence to the males at the table.

Joseph Heywood simply shook his head. For as headstrong and determined as Charlotte was, Alison was headstrong, and judiciously aggressive. She certainly had the right mentality for a racing driver. She pushed every limit, every rule, and went flat-out in everything that mattered to her. That made him think though, if Alison was a driver, maybe Sidney shared some of those same qualities. He looked over again at his eldest daughter. For as many times as he had let her go to pursue her dreams, he had never had to let her go to a man.

“Exclusively…?” Their Papa had spoken again.

With another deep breath, “Yes, Papa. We talked about it today, in fact.” She was sure she was going to have to share a little more. “It is not something either of us expected. It was just something we couldn’t ignore. I know that _I_ tried to, and from what he said, he did too. I can’t explain it.” She said simply, shaking her head.

It reminded him of the time he met their mother. With her, he just knew. She was from a posh family, well brought up, well-educated, an award-winning horse woman. He had just been a gentleman farmer with a passion for cars he later passed on to his children. All the success had come much later. “So, when are we going to meet him?” he asked calmly.

She was a little surprised at the sudden turn. “Well, not next week,” she said cheekily, and continued. “And since we _just_ started dating, _today_ in fact, you might want to give us a little time.” At least she was smiling, even if it was at her own sarcasm. “I’m sure you’ll get your chance whether we keep dating or not, we are business partners, after all.”

He nodded his head and smiled at her comments. “True, true.” He paused. “Well, better get this table set for dinner before Anna and your mother have our heads.” He stood up slowly and went towards his study. As he rounded the corner into the hallway, he found his wife leaning against the wall. She had apparently been listening to the conversation. “Mrs. Heywood, have you been eaves dropping?” displaying the cheek that Charlotte had clearly inherited.

“If you mean, was I listening to our children manage to keep you at bay? Then the answer is, yes.” She tutted at him.

“I’m just worried Caroline, you know that.” He seemed a little contrite, as he tried to shuffle past her.

“Yes, I know, but it won’t help them, and it won’t help _you_ if you are worrying. Don’t you think they are all worrying enough?” She tilted her head and looked at him earnestly.

“I was supposed to be there, I was supposed to be helping, guiding. If I had been there, this new… ‘romance’ might not have ever happened.” He was feeling like he had failed them, failed her, somehow.

“Or it might have happened in spite of you being there… then again, it might have made matters worse, or even more confusing for Charlotte. This is not something you can blame yourself for, or hope that you could have prevented it.” She had taken his hand and was leading him back to his study to rest until dinner. “My dear, we cannot protect them forever.”

“But that’s it, I don’t feel like I even had a chance to protect Charlotte. We were always sending her off somewhere. Now… I feel like I practically hand-delivered her to this… man.” His voice was raising at this point, frustrated with everything he couldn’t control, amplified by the fatigue of his treatments.

“Would that be so bad?” Caroline asked. “If she is happy? And this is all new anyway, it might not turn out to be anything. Or… you may have made it possible for her to meet someone who understands her. If she is ready to fall in love, for real this time, then there is nothing any of us can do to stop it.” She was easing him into his large leather chair next to the fireplace. She turned on the floor lamp beside him and handed him the book he had been reading earlier. “I certainly couldn’t stop how I felt about you.” She raised her brows and gave him a wink.

He was not well, nor was he young man anymore, but that did not stop him from reaching for her and pulling her onto his lap as she let out a small squeal of surprise. “No, I suppose not.” He leaned into the back of her neck, kissing near her spine in the spot that made her tingle, and she let out a small sigh.

“Definitely not,” she breathed out, as her voice could not have spoken any louder at that moment.

***

Dinner had gone more smoothly. Caroline and Anna had taken the information and instructions from Diana to heart. The mostly plant-based meal had been something everyone could enjoy, even if their father had not wanted very much to eat. Charlotte noted that he was probably eating more than he wanted, just to keep his wife less concerned about his nutritional intake. The little Heywoods had done exactly what their mother had hoped they would. They were simply themselves, talking about school, football, their Jr. cricket league, Sara went into depth about her upcoming science project, Jonathon talked about his art class, and the twins were full of stories about school and practicing with the karts on the test track across their road. Mercifully, no one mentioned Sidney, _or_ James.

Alone in her room, she was finally able to return Sidney’s last texts. As soon as it was sent, her phone buzzed. He was calling.

“Hi,” her smile was evident in how she was speaking. “How was the rest of your day?”

“Same as usual, except the distractions I had all day thinking about my girlfriend,” and his smile was now evident through his words. It might have been something of a novelty for Sidney to be using that phrase, and maybe that’s why he wanted to use it. Mostly, it was because he had not been able to stop thinking about her since that fateful day in the hallway outside the Accounting Department. Now that he could actually admit his feelings, he felt like they were bubbling over like a boiling pot, and containing them was even harder now that the lid had been removed. “So… how is the family?” Had it been difficult explaining their relationship to them? Is what he was really asking.

“They all seem fine. The littles are full of stories and questions.” She hesitated.

“And your parents, are they well, or at least do they seem to be doing well? Under the circumstances.” It was a difficult situation she had been sent into to manage on her own. He had felt a bit guilty about that.

“They are mostly well.” She answered hesitantly.

“Aaannd…?” He knew she was leaving something out.

“And… my Dad did have a few questions.” She swallowed. “About us.”

“Ah... Mostly uncomfortable, I gather?” Knowing her answer already.

“Some, but I think he’s coming to grips with it. At least that we are not being frivolous about anything.” She decided to leave out the part regarding James, and what Timothy thought about that whole situation.

He laughed. “Are you _ever_ frivolous about anything? I doubt it!” He was trying to even imagine it.

“Well, it does appear that I might have a bit of a frivolous streak when it comes to buying pretty shoes.” She had really enjoyed shopping with Clara, and discovered a new love for the things she had chosen. Especially the different heels she had purchased that helped her feel taller, more confident.

“If you are talking about the shoes you were wearing last night, I beg to differ! I believe those could never be called frivolous. Necessary, is the word that comes to mind.” He said playfully. “In fact, it may be very necessary to see you wearing them again soon.” His voice had gotten lower, and softer at the same time.

“Well, yes. Those, and a few more pairs I found when I was out that day…” She was teasing him with the unknown Jimmy Choos still in their boxes. Making him think of her. Alerting his imagination to the possibilities.

He groaned into the phone. Unable to contain it. But smiled. “I should have spent more time looking through your closet when I had the chance. I suppose I shall have to come up with many more excuses to take you out.” His voice remained low, and deep

“I suppose you shall.” She teased him back. Then she thought she needed to text with Clara about what she should pack for Melbourne. She had all of her team gear ready and set aside, the basics, but she didn’t know what the rest of their itinerary looked like. There were always a lot of functions, most of which she would not have to deal with as a technical director. She was not a ‘face’ of the team, but she really didn’t know.

“I shall take that as a challenge, Dr. Heywood.” She could practically see his smirk through the phone.

“I shall hold you to that, Mr. Parker.” Her voice had suddenly gotten breathy, she wasn’t sure where it had come from. Something about him drew her out. Made her feel and want things she had never felt really comfortable wanting so badly before. No one else had caused her to think of these things, before. Now her imagination was wild with new possibilities whenever she was in his presence. Apparently, that translated to the phone as well.

“So, are you going to ask me that question again, the one you asked the other day before our date?” He was hoping her stellar memory was as clear as he thought.

“OOooh!” She said, remembering, and then her voice lowered. “What are you wearing… Sidney?” Her eyes danced waiting for his answer.

***

The next morning, she was up early. She went into the Kart workshop and checked on their new developments. She was the only one in there at that hour. Plus, it was a Saturday. She looked over the designs, and took some notes. Karts were pretty simple, but there was something they might be able to change with the engine to make them faster, or the construction to make them lighter. She heard the door behind her and looked to find her father walking toward her. She smiled at him. She had always loved their times together working on various projects. He had always encouraged her in all her curiosities. He was a very big part of why she was able to do all the things she had wanted to in her life. He had not only let her, he had never questioned why she couldn’t do them.

“Hello Papa, good morning!” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “How are you really feeling?” She asked more seriously.

“Well, good days, and bad days. It’s a pretty set pattern. Which day after the chemo I happen to be on. But I’m told that things will change over time.” He answered honestly. He knew Charlotte would first look at it with her clinical thinking, and not simply with her emotions.

“And the food?” Her eyes narrowed. “Is it OK? Is it helping or not?”

He took a long breath. “So far, it seems to be helping. It helps to not have to think about it. It’s also easy on the stomach when I’m not at my best. The bone broth Diana made has been a god-send on the rough days. And who knew I would even like Kombucha tea? That was a shock, I tell you.” He smiled and winked at her. “I’ve been sending her emails with updates. She wanted to keep data on what was helping, what I was eating and when, in relation to the treatments. That way she feels she can plan better as things get on. She’s quite the dynamo that Diana. Your mother was very impressed when she came up here with Michael.”

“I’m so glad. I was concerned it might be too much for Diana to take on when they offered, but it really is a passion of hers. I don’t know where she finds the time and energy to do it all. She and Sidney have such a demanding schedule, she makes a lot of his meals, plans all of their different work outs, plus preparing for the season, and traveling. She is remarkable.” She smiled. “And kind.”

He huffed a little. “Funny that. Sounds like you could be describing yourself with your own work.” And he bumped his shoulder into hers. Teasing her.

“Perhaps it’s this job. The world of racing and its high expectations.” She said, almost dismissing it.

“Perhaps…. Or perhaps it’s the people who drive the changes” He looked at her. “I wish I could be there with you _. I know_ , I know I’ve said it before…” he waved her protests away with his hand. “I really wanted to be there, to watch you do it.” At this, Mr. Heywood let his eyes water a little before he blinked the wetness away. His daughter threw her arms around him.

“I know Papa. I wish you were there to see it too. But you will be, I just know it. I promise! I’ll work so hard this year. I’ll make sure we do as well as we can, then next year you will be with us.” She looked up in his eyes. “I promise. No one, no team will work harder.”

He laughed heartily at that comment. “Lottie, my dear daughter. _No one_ has ever worked harder than you.” And he let himself really laugh, relaxing a bit from the emotional ups and downs the chemo seemed to bring out in him. He never knew what to expect from day to day. Physical changes and pain. Struggling with his emotions, extreme fatigue, nausea, trying to find his words through the fog. But this conversation felt almost like something normal, again.

“Well,” she said determinedly, and smiled at her father to reassure him once more. “That is _certainly_ not going to change now!”

***

The rest of the sunny morning was spent bowling and batting with Michael and the younger Heywoods. Charlotte’s afternoon was spent working with Alison and Jonathon on the test track with their latest karts, while Michael went to visit some of his old school friends. Alison, was giving Jonathon corrections, and timing him to show him the differences. The stark contrast of where Charlotte’s life had started, and where she was now – it was night and day. The type of development they were now engaged with at Parker’s, even compared with the Heywood Racing Formula 3 team, was a new world that she had seemed to slip into without trouble. She had been glad for that. She was smiling at Alison and Jonathon. The simplicity of it, and being at home. She almost didn’t realize that Alison had turned around and had been walking toward her.

“OK, I’m sending him out for a long run, learning the corners, and how to make the exit of one corner sling him into the next corner on the quickest drive line. He’ll get it,” She added confidently. “Now that I finally have you alone…” She was giving her a naughty look. “Tell me all about Sidney Parker!”

“What would you like to know, Alison?” She never caved that easily.

“Oh Charlotte! We don’t have that much time to talk out here, you know that! Pleeeaase tell me. Is he as hot as he looks on TV and the pictures? I mean, you have seen him naked, right?”

“Alison!” She knew they were different from each other, but Charlotte was 5 years older. That 5-year difference never slowed her sister down though. There were many things she had done, that Charlotte hadn’t by the age of 18. Her own bravery had been in other areas, and not with boys, sports, and speed, like it had been for Alison. She wondered if this was what Sidney had been like as a teenager, or maybe part of him. She had known from Arthur that he had also done well at school.

“C’mon. Tell me.” She was pulling on her arm like a kid, but talking about adult subjects.

“First of all, no, I haven’t seen him naked. He wants to take things slowly, to do things differently with us.” She couldn’t help but smiling at that. “Not that I don’t want to, Alison. It’s just… things feel different with Sidney.”

“Wow, he must really like you if he’s the one who wants to wait.” She paused. “Wait, you don’t think anything is wrong with him, do you? He’s not that old, but… you never know.” She added quietly.

“I don’t think so. In fact, I highly doubt it…” It had been impossible for her not to notice his arousal in their more recent intimate moments. So that did not seem to be a problem, but it also was not a conversation she wanted to have with her little sister.

Alison looked closely at her big sister. “You really like him, don’t you? Not like Warren or Raj.” She pressed. The idea of her nerdy big sister dating a Formula One driver was the epitome of cool. Not her working as a Technical Director for an F1 team designing the cars, just dating one of Alison’s personal heroes was the cool part.

“Absolutely nothing like Warren or Raj. But then again, _he_ is nothing like Warren or Raj. Not like anyone I’ve ever met.” Her voice got a little dreamy as she thought of him. “Anyway, you’ve only got me here for a day, what else do we need to work on?” She’d had enough answering questions about Sidney over the last 24 hours. She needed to change the subject while she was still at home. “Tell me what you’re working on.” The conversation devolved into the newer karts, the tyres, the engines they were trying to get more horsepower from, and finally, and trip back to the workshop to try something new with the engines, together.

They had another boisterous Heywood family dinner. Later, Sara played her latest piano piece for Charlotte, and Oliver and Rose talked her and Michael into a few games of go fish. She had really been able to spend time with all of her siblings, and even her dad. But she hadn’t seen much of her mother. Mama had been working in the kitchen, and also working on the books for the business, now that her Papa had been struggling with brain fog from the chemo. It was in her father’s study that she found her once the “littles” had gone to bed.

Caroline Heywood had her reading glasses on, and looked tired as she was making marks in her ledger, and then putting them into the accounting software on their computer. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun, and Charlotte wondered when the last time she had seen her mother with her hair this long. Clearly, she had not had time to get it cut recently. She gently knocked on the open door, to announce herself. “Hello Mama. Can I help with anything?”

Mrs. Heywood smiled, “No darling, almost finished here for the night. Come sit down, I’ll only be a few more minutes.” She went back to her work, and checked where her index finger had been holding her place on the ledger before punching the keys of the keyboard, inputting the data. Charlotte wandered, looking at the bookcases. Some of these books had been in the family for generations, and she had always loved coming in there to imagine what other ancestral Heywoods had picked up the same books that she also liked to read.

She smiled, and gave a small sound of recognition when she found one of her favorites. She mumbled under her breath. “Heraclitus, right where I left you,” then tipped forward the top of the spine of the book, to grasp and release it from the shelf. Thumbing through the old tome, she did not even notice that her mother was finished and looking at her.

She finally spoke. “I wish I knew how many times you read that book before you left for college. At least a dozen,” she said, teasing her.

“Sorry to disappoint you Mama, but it was easily over 20 times, possibly over 30.” She said, thinking and counting in her head. She smiled at her mother in return, then took a long breath as her eyes swept around the room.

“Yes, probably over 30 times, but I’m sure you had it memorized after the first.” Two could play the teasing game in the Heywood family. It was how they all communicated best.

Charlotte chuckled. “True… But, it’s not the same as holding the book in your hands,” and she sat in one of her father’s leather chairs, this one facing the desk where her mother was sitting. She watched as her mother removed the reading glasses, and pinched the insides of her eyes, helping them to readjust to the lighting in the room after staring at the computer screen. “You would tell me if you needed more help, Mama?” She suddenly added, seriously. “We can afford it, there is no reason for you to be killing yourself trying to do your job, and Papa’s.”

Caroline Heywood was touched. Charlotte had matured emotionally a lot in the past few years, and it had made her more understanding of others. For many years, she had closed herself off in order to focus on her goals. “So far, I think we are managing fine. Timothy helps so much, and now that Alison has her licence, she drives herself and Sara back and forth to school. Not to mention that Diana has made things so much easier for your father. They are developing quite an email correspondence between them.” She smiled and laughed a little.

“Yes, I believe that Diana enjoys taking care of people. And also teaching them to take care of themselves.” She hesitated a moment. “You know their parents died when they were all young. Tom was at University, and Diana was about Alison’s age and in boarding school. Sidney was just 13 or 14, I think, and Arthur was only 10, like Jonathon.” She shuddered at the thought.

“Sidney told you all this?” Caroline’s heart softened a little toward the Parkers. Of course, she knew about the accident. It had been all over the news, photos of the glamorous Parker’s orphaned children, dressed in black outside the church, and then the cemetery on the day of their funerals. It made it all so much more real now. “It must have been dreadful.” She added softly.

“Actually, Arthur told me,” she answered with a small grin. It was hard not to think of Arthur and smile a little. “We spend so much time together at work. It’s been really lovely. He’s a wonderful man, and an even better co-worker.”

“I’m surprised you’re not dating Arthur, then,” her mother teased her.

“Ah! Well, you see… _I_ , am not Arthur’s _type_.” She said in a very knowing manner. “No, but we have been becoming good friends.”

“I see.” She said smiling. “You seem to be fitting in well there. I suppose there are not so many families that can relate to the business as our families can. The Williams, of course, but a little out of our league I think.” She said with her eyes widened and her brows raised as she wore a small smile.

“ _Just_ a bit.” She laughed at her mother’s observation. The Williams family had achieved quite a lot in their storied history, even if things had not been going quite their way as of late. “Yes, I certainly hope we are fitting in well there. Michael is doing well, but you know Michael. He fits in everywhere he goes.” But this made her think of James, and the uncertainty of their working relationship.

“What is it?” She had noticed the sudden worry on Charlotte’s face.

“Oh, nothing for you to worry about,” and her mother gave her that look that only mother’s have. The “do not try and play with me” look. “OK, something Timothy said the other day. I never would have noticed if he hadn’t,” and she bit her bottom lip.

“Stop chewing your lips, Charlotte.” It was something she had repeated to her many times before in her life. “Noticed what, exactly?” But she thought she knew what Charlotte was talking about.

She shook her head and let her eyes escape her mother’s look by moving them to look at the ancient beams on the ceiling of her father’s study. “Just something about James,” and she tried to dismiss it.

“What? That he’s had a thing for you since at _least_ October.” Not much got past Caroline Heywood. She had learned a long time ago to notice everything, but to also know which battles to pick with her children and her husband. The battle lines had gotten much shorter, recently.

“Of course, you knew! Why didn’t you say anything?” Charlotte hated when she missed big things like this. Always getting stuck too far inside her head.

“If he didn’t say anything to you, why should I have interfered? I did not, _do not_ , know how deep those feeling ran. I could not step in where my opinion was not asked for, and not wanted. Besides, you clearly did not share those same feelings.” It was true. She had checked more than once, watching their interactions, watching Charlotte if she was talking about him. The ignition spark was simply not there.

“I suppose. And no, I don’t think I share those feelings for him. Definitely not now, but we were, are I still hope, friends. And I don’t like hurting my friends.” They had been through a lot together last season, she did not want to be the cause of any hurt feelings, especially with her dating his rival in the garage. She groaned and put her head down in her hands.

“Sidney, I take it, does share the same feelings as you do?”

“I believe so, at least that’s what he has told me.” She could not help but smile thinking of him.

“Then you have to let James figure things out. Don’t treat him any differently than you have in the past. Be his friend. Act as his _friend._ That is all that you can do and control. Your own actions. How he behaves and reacts to you dating his teammate, will be up to him. And hopefully Sidney won’t be petty and rub it in his face.”

“I doubt Sidney knows.” Charlotte said simply.

Her mother laughed heartily at that comment. “My dear,” still trying to control her laughter. “They always know. Men _always_ know when another man is interested in the same woman that they are interested in. It’s the law of nature. Pheromones, and territorial markings, fighting for mating rights, all of that.” Charlotte looked at her skeptically. “Charlotte, Sidney already knows. I guarantee it! I am quite sure that he knew before _you_ did, seeing as how you only found out last night.” She laughed a little again.

“You know, this is a study, a place for quiet work and reflection,” Joseph Heywood said standing in the doorway, smiling at his laughing wife. Charlotte, however was not laughing, and her brows were knitted tightly together when she turned in her chair to look at him. “Hmmn,” he grunted. “It seems not everyone is having a good time in here.”

“We are just talking,” his wife explained.

“Girl talk?” He hesitated before stepping in the room.

“Not really,” Charlotte finally spoke. Maybe his presence would be helpful, and she was happy to spend a little more time with him before they left. “More ‘life’ talk, I suppose.” Grinning at her father, finally letting her brows relax. She did not want to worry him. “Nothing I can’t handle.” She added with a smile.

“Well, I am heading for bed, ladies. Good night, Charlotte.” And he leaned over to kiss the top of her head.

“Night, Papa.”

“I’ll be up soon, dear.” Mrs. Heywood added, as she organized the paperwork on the desk, sorting things into files. She watched and listened as her husband shuffled down the hall and toward the staircase. She looked at Charlotte with a resigned grin. “I suppose we will all be facing new challenges this year.” She looked at her, and Charlotte seemed to be steeling herself. “New challenges, but we have faced new challenges before, haven’t we?”

Charlotte let the grin grow, and her eyes softened. “True.” She answered soundly. “Like I told Papa, we’ll figure out how to handle it.” Motivated by her own sentiments, she felt a little better, “I’m so glad we were able to come home this weekend. I don’t know when we will have the chance again.” Her voice drifted, thinking of the massive schedule ahead of them.

“We might be able to come down to visit you. If Papa’s Doctor agrees. Perhaps in the summer, when the weather will be more agreeable.” Caroline added.

“I would really like that. I know we sent pictures, but you really do have to see this place that Esther found for us. It’s on the property of the family estate, but the frescoes are just mad! And they’re everywhere! You’ll probably have to have a talk with the ‘littles’ about nudity in fine art before coming down.” She was laughing now. “It took us some time to get used to it. They are literally everywhere, except the kitchen, and one or two other rooms that had been painted over.”

Her mother’s eyes grew, “Really? Everywhere?” She was apprehensive. “Oh well, no time like the present to expose them to a little ‘culture.’” And she was laughing now too. “C’mon, lets off to bed, then. Besides, I would imagine your boyfriend is waiting up to talk to you on the phone.” She said knowlingly.

“Mama! How did you know?” She was worried she may have overheard something of their conversation yesterday.

She laughed at her daughter’s expression of guilt. “I was young and in love once too, remember? How do you think you got here, Charlotte?” She loved shocking her out of her regimented brain every now and then.

“Oh my god, will you please stop!” Shaking her head trying to move past the subject. It wasn’t working, she put up her hands in defense, to keep her mother from saying anything else. “Ew, don’t, please. I beg you.” She added, still trying to block any thoughts of her parents in that way. She hurriedly walked toward the stairs. Finally adding “Good night, Mama. See you at breakfast.”

Caroline was still laughing, “Good night, dear… Please tell _Sidney_ we said ‘good night,’ as well.”

Charlotte could still hear her mother’s light laughter all the way to her room, until she shut the heavy oak door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Williams family has been in racing since 1966, and in F1 since 1969. Sir Frank Williams was briefly a driver and mechanic before starting his racing team. I modeled the Parkers quite a bit off the Williams family, as they were one of the small teams that were still being run by a family in recent years. Between 1981 and 1997, the team had won 6 driver's championships, and 8 constructor's championships. They were pioneers in design that changed how cars were built during those years. His daughter, Claire Williams (Harris), was working as Deputy Team Principal after her father's health deteriorated in 2013, until September of 2020. She is the only one of two women to have held that high of a position in F1. Sadly, they were forced to sell to new investors just this past year to keep the team afloat, and the company is no longer a family run racing team.
> 
> *Dates and facts from Wikipedia.


	28. Sunday Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being so patient as I worked on this chapter. I am so grateful and appreciative of all the kudos and comments, and even the Twitterverse. Between life, and all the things going on in the world, it was harder for me to escape into Sanditon, but reading the fanfics of the many great writers on AO3 helped get me through a stressful patch. Thank you to the readers and writers who have helped and motivated me. I have much more to tell in the story, so don't go anywhere 😉. Except to Sanditon, of course. Stay safe and healthy! 😊❤️

Chapter 28

Mary’s traditional pre-race Sunday luncheons were born from the evening flights they often took as a racing team to points all around the globe. She had once loved the trips, and for several years traveled with her husband and the team. Once Alicia was born, the baby would travel with her parents to the closer races, and Mary stayed home with her for the ones on other continents. By the time Jenny was born, Mary decided it was time to hang up her passport until later days when it might be easier to travel. Then came Henry, and just last year, James. Four children made traveling with “the family circus,” as she called it, more than a challenge. Instead, she now showed her support in her own way. The good luck/farewell lunch would be served at 2:00, ‘aunt and uncles’ time would be spent with the nieces and nephews between 1:00 until lunch was served. She was typically a regimented schedule follower. It would have been hard to keep up with the demands of 4 children if she wasn’t. But Sunday’s were for family, and she tried to let go of some of that control on the one day that she could.

“Julia?!”

“Yes, Mrs. Parker, right here.” Julia, her assistant/housekeeper/cook/right hand, was already in the kitchen working on the lunch menu as soon as the children had been fed their breakfast, and were off to change from pajamas to their Sunday best. The family went to the small original C of E church in Old Sanditon, and half of the preparation work would be finished in the kitchen by the time they returned. The children were changed into their play clothes once they returned, and were then set loose to play in the playroom, or the garden. The part-time weekend nanny, Emma would be there soon to help keep the peace and take care of the baby, James. Mary changed to a washable, yet no less polished, ensemble and promptly donned one of her trusty white aprons.

Mary ran her household schedule with military precision, but with 4 little ones, there were accommodations she had to make in order to keep her sanity. Her kitchen reflected that. Dark grey cabinets that would hide the little fingerprints, so that she wouldn’t constantly feel the need to be scrubbing them clean. Quartz counter tops that were practically indestructible, and stainless-steel appliances that were easy to wipe down. The oldest, Alicia already had that as one of the boxes to fill on her chore chart. Jenny was already sweeping after breakfast, and little Henry was helping to sort the recycling. Anything to keep them busy, was Mary’s primary philosophy in raising her children. Busy with chores, activities, lessons, hobbies, crafts, and even helping to learn simple cooking skills in her precious and well-loved kitchen.

For all of her busy-ness, Mary was a loving and doting mother. She prided herself on raising good human beings, and in a loving family unit. She wanted for her children what she’d had as a child, stability and opportunity. This was evident in all that she did to make their lives interesting, educational, and fun. Fun being the easiest thing to achieve with the beach and the ocean a mere block away from the Parker family home. The family unit was also conveniently achieved with all the Parker uncles and aunt living and working together, nearby. A Sunday lunch, at least once a month was the perfect excuse to bring all of them together.

Vegetables were chopped, salad was prepped, the roast for the meat eaters was cooking slowly in the oven, and a pie and a large fruit-topped custard tart were already purchased from her favorite local bakery. All on time and according to plan, when her children’s 2 uncles and their aunt began to arrive.

In another part of Sanditon, a quick and early trip between Willingden and Sanditon gave the two eldest Heywood children some time to pack for their first big adventure as members of the Parker Racing Team. Fortunately for Charlotte, Clara had again been most helpful. Melbourne would be more casual, but as it is Fall in Australia when it is Spring in Europe, it was wise to pack a variety of warm and cooler weather clothes. Always plan for rain, unless they were headed to the Middle East, and always pack something extra, in case you needed something nice to wear. The text conversation went well, and they promised to catch up on the long flight.

Melbourne is 11 hours ahead of London, so the passengers had all been urged to eat an early dinner on Sunday, as the plane was leaving Gatwick at 7:00 pm but the traffic would also be minimal for the 45-minute drive. They apparently would have the seat-beds made up when they got on the flight, so that they could start adjusting to Melbourne time. Something, apparently that Diana had implemented years ago for drastic time changes. The 7-hour flight to Abu Dhabi, was the first leg of the journey, so trying to sleep early was critical. Then, the crew would have them wake and start the day once they had refueled and would be airborne again. The last leg of the flight was a full 13 hours, and they would be landing in Melbourne at almost the same time in England they left the day before; hoping they would be able to eat a meal and sleep well after arriving. Everything would be ready for work for them to start work on Tuesday, so they had little time for the staff to adjust to the jet lag. The chartered Etihad plane would definitely help the team to relax and sleep without dealing with other travelers. As an F1 sponsoring company, they gave special deals to the teams for trips like these that were in their existing flight paths.

Charlotte was looking over the itinerary with all this information laid out, and reading it to Michael as he drove them back to Sanditon that morning. Clara had come through again with the details that she needed. Apparently, their logistics and travel department had lists and itineraries for each leg of the F1 calendar of races. She had already sent a personal check list for Charlotte, but also reminded her that most things would be attainable in Australia if she forgot anything. Other countries, it wasn’t always quite so easy to replace something. She encouraged her to start multiple toiletry and makeup kits to have ready to pack, she also recommended buying hair styling tools in the countries/continents that had different voltage, so that she had the right ones without worrying about adapters. In addition to those helpful bits of advice she also listed packing cubes and compression bags to make space, and once she found out that Charlotte did not have a suitable garment bag for more sensitive clothing items, she urged her to look for one. Especially for the European and Asian race locations. There were more chances for formal events there. Or at least an expectation for more dressy attire, in order to attend different parties and events. She may not have to go to them, and certainly not if she was needed in the garage at night prepping or fixing a car, but sometimes it was necessary for the investors to see her in a social setting.

“I think packing for these races might be harder than developing the cars, Michael.” She was surely out of her element here. “Sounds like preparation is the key. You need a garment bag or a suitcase that accommodates suits too, if you need to pack one, or even a tux.” His eyes widened and he looked over at Charlotte.

“I’m just a racing engineer, I doubt I will need that.” He answered.

“Clara disagrees. You are, quote, ‘a Heywood, and you may be required to represent the family more publicly, and should be prepared,’ end quote.” She repeated what she had read.

Michael groaned, then smiled. “Do you think Clara would take me shopping in London too?” He winked at his sister. She rolled her eyes in response.

“Actually, she recommends going with either Sidney or Babington. Apparently, they have quite a good tailor, and to quote, ‘eat the expense.’ She says it will be worth it in the long run.” He quietly grunted in response. “She also added that you will have to go with one of them, as their tailor is quite exclusive and will only see you if you are with a current client. Gracious! That does sound intimidating. As well as expensive,” she observed quietly.

Once she was back in her room with her large suitcase opened on her bed, she almost didn’t know where to begin. Team gear seemed a good starting-off point. She packed for warm but also chilly or rainy weather, as recommended, and added a couple pairs extra of the altered pants and Bermuda shorts, as those would be harder to replace on the spot. Always extra underwear and socks, she thought. Two pairs of the team shoes for the paddock and garage, a team hat or two for rainy days, and then she finally delved into casual wear. What to bring on the flight, what to pack separately… at least with a chartered flight, there was no chance of lost luggage, she thought. She felt like she was packing for a year, and not for a week. Laundry services were available, but she did not want to take many chances for their first race. “Over-packing is better than under-packing,” she mumbled to herself. The best pack-able dress that she had, was the black slim midi dress with the notch in the square neckline. It could hang or be steamed to remove wrinkles, plus it was nice but not a full formal gown. Then she packed the same shoes she had worn Thursday night. That way she had something if she needed it, she thought.

Michael had taken all of 15 minutes to pack, Charlotte had needed over an hour. He shook his head as she wheeled out two of her packing cases, her tote bag that was stuffed, and an additional small duffel bag for the plane cabin.

“Don’t start, Michael. I refuse to not be prepared.” She stated defiantly. “Plus, most of these things were the recommended items from Clara’s list.” The look he gave her could only be described as judgmental. “We are not _back-packing_ across Germany, Michael! This is a _business_ trip. The needs are different.” She added plainly.

“One more reason I am glad I am not a girl,” he shook his head at her, and her luggage.

“True,” she said. “You mostly _certainly_ couldn’t handle the pressure,” she smirked.

***

As the people were all preparing, and packing, and eating, all of their team equipment was not only flying to Australia at that very moment, but sea freight containers had already been on their way more than almost 2 weeks ago. The garage package, and large heavy equipment traveled by a DHL container ships. It would be too heavy to try and fly that equipment from race to race. The only problem was the time between races to get everything where it needed to be. The solution? Each team has 5 complete garage packages, team control centers, full kitchen equipment and hospitality sets, and scores of computer monitors, that are sent in different directions across the globe. They alternate which package goes to which race, so that there is enough time to move the massive “circus” that is an F1 race week.

All equipment deemed “essential” flew in DHL air freight containers and could be transported to the race track easily. Anything new, and all the hundreds of parts for the cars (plus spares), the tools, servers, pit-stop equipment, and secure data links were all part of the essential and bespoke team equipment. By Tuesday, the rigging crew would have the control center unpacked and rebuilt on site, the garage panels and flooring, over head lights, and heavy pneumatic equipment set up. The IT specialists would have already been hooking up all the servers, data links, computers, and making sure that the WIFI was working as it should. Leaving on Sunday felt like they were leaving earlier than usual for this race, but in reality, the travel time made it necessary. Everything would be ready for work at the track in Australia on Tuesday morning.

Sidney and Charlotte had texted in between her riding back to Sanditon, her packing, and finally their arrival at the Parker family home, Trafalgar house. It had gone through some remodels and modifications over the generations, but the original 19th century Georgian façade was intact, as was most of the original plaster-work and mouldings. Once Charlotte and Michael arrived, Mary pushed Sidney out of her way to open the door, and reminded him who was hosting, and who would be expected to greet her guests first. No matter who was dating whom.

They had been a little late, but they wanted to stop and bring Mary some flowers to thank her for lunch. Trip home, things packed, and flowers purchased, they arrived at 1:15, full of apologies for not being on time. 

“Oh, no worries at all! We are not even going to eating yet. We still have almost an hour. This is mostly a chance for everyone to socialize before the meal.” Mary was very happy to see that Michael and Charlotte had arrived close to when the family did. It would give them all a chance to see each other in a social setting and not at work. Sidney, however, was lurking right behind her, and was anxious to see his girlfriend. He did not give her much of a chance to welcome them and to accept the lovely bouquet before Sidney pulled Charlotte toward him, holding her hand.

“I have missed you so much,” Sidney whispered in her ear as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. She rewarded him with a kiss on his own cheek, and a wide smile.

“I missed you too,” she whispered in return, before she heard Michael clearing his throat.

“Michael, good trip, I hope?” Sidney asked, diverting his attention from Charlotte, but still holding her hand.

“Yes, it was a good trip, thank you. Nice to see everyone while we could. Don’t think there will be much opportunity to go back for a while.” Michael answered.

Mary agreed. “Yes, from experience, I can tell you that things will only get busier from here. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you think I might be able to help, or if you have any questions. Sidney, why don’t you take them to meet the children? I am heading back to the kitchen, and the lunch will be ready before you know it!” Mary smiled, happy to have the Heywoods finally over for a meal. She had been trying to manage this for weeks, but with all the work at the factory, Charlotte had hardly been available on the weekends. 

“Come,” Sidney said to the two guests, “I have a feeling that you will both want to see what Mary has done with the playroom.” And He gave Mary a wink before she left to finish her meal preparations.

Michael and Charlotte were able to see what Sidney was talking about as they ascended up the steps to the next floor, and as soon as they entered the large room. A reading nook with shelves, that had poofs and cushions on the floor was in the corner right in front of them as they entered. Another corner with a trunk of dress ups and a play kitchen, a third area right by the door with a crafts table, an easel, and shelves filled with art and crafting supplies. The fourth corner in the furthest part of the room was something out of a kid’s fantasy playroom. The walls had been painted glossy white, and with waves coming up from the floor, just like the ones in the Parker team garage. The Parker Racing logo was emblazoned on the floor, special lighting glowed on the shiny finishes, and a miniature child-size version of a team car was in the middle, surrounded by a few older computers, and team props, including trolleys filled with child sized tools.

Henry was already playing in the car with a small helmet on his head, and Jenny was ‘working on the engine.’ Michael’s jaw dropped. “This is the most amazing playroom I have ever seen.” He said quietly.

Charlotte was equally amazed by the replica sitting in the corner of the playroom. “I can see that they are being properly trained for the family business…” Her voice wandered as she started to walk to where the two middle Parkers were playing. Sidney made the introductions, and then explained where and how they worked with their father, aunt and uncles.

Jenny looked most interested in Charlotte. “You work on making the cars with Uncle Arthur, don't you?” She asked her. Charlotte answered yes, and crouched down to where the young girl was wearing replica team coveralls, and working on a pretend engine in the back of the ‘car.’

Charlotte showed her how to use some of the tools and how to hold and move them to work. She also explained how they started the engines in real life in “Uncle Sidney’s car.”

“Miss Heywood, why do the engines sound like that?” Jenny asked, her eyes curious and sharp.

“You may call me, Charlotte, Jenny. What do you mean by, ‘sound like that?’” Charlotte wanted to know how the young girl viewed the cars when she saw them, either on the telly or in real life.

Jenny thought a minute. “Well, they are _very_ loud, but they sound like they’re buzzing. Like a giant bumblebee.” She added with her arms spread out, and her eyes showing that she was concentrating, and trying to find the right words.

“Very observant, Jenny. You are right, they do sound different than I suppose you hear in your mum’s car, or even other cars on the street, yes?” Jenny nodded.

“How do they get so loud?” She clarified.

“That’s kind of a long story, there have been lots of engines in Formula 1 cars over the years. But I like how you think it sounds like a bumblebee.” Jenny smiled at her compliment. “Do you know much about bumblebees, Jenny?” She shook her head no, but kept her eyes on the lovely lady who was paying her so much attention. “Bumblebees are very large,” and she took out her phone to find information with a picture to show her. “You see, bumblebees should not be able to fly. Their bodies are too big, too heavy, and too round for their small wings. Somehow, the bumblebee moves it’s wings very, very fast. That is the only way it can lift its body up to fly.” She showed her a photo, and then a small clip that showed the wings beating in slow motion. “When the wings are flying, they beat so quickly that we cannot see them moving, just a blur of motion. That is a lot like the engines in Uncle Sidney’s car.” She looked up at Sidney, who was looking at her, enthralled by how she was interacting with his precocious niece.

Charlotte showed her in the play engine where the pistons go up and down, and explained how they were different in a real-life race car. “So, you see, because it is built differently, and because the pistons move up and down so quickly, it creates more revolutions of the engine, which also allows the gear box to adjust the speed of the car. Like the bumblebee, the pistons move so fast that you can’t really see it, so it makes a similar buzzing sound when you get the engine to move faster. Now, think how much bigger this engine is than a bumblebee, and how much bigger the real engines are than this one.” Jenny’s eyes were looking at the picture on her phone, and she touched her play engine, and then looked up at her very tall Uncle Sidney.

“It’s much, much bigger, Charlotte.” Jenny observed.

“Yes, and because it is much, much bigger, the buzzing sound is much louder, and deeper than the bumblebees you hear.” She smiled at her, and Jenny smiled back, pleased with having found an answer to her question that made sense.

Sidney put out his hand to help Charlotte up from her crouched position for her audience with his niece. He couldn’t help the smile on his face as he looked down at Jenny in her mini, mechanic’s coveralls, and small metric wrench set. Michael was still talking with Henry, who was now pulling on Sidney’s hem of his sweater to get his attention.

“Unca Sidney, are these your friends?” Henry asked. He had finally lifted the dark visor on his helmet so that he could catch Sidney’s eye. He was not used to waiting for his uncle’s attention, and even if Michael had seemed nice enough, he also did not like to be second on Sidney’s list.

“Yes, Henry, you met Michael already, and this is his sister Charlotte. They work with us on the racing team.” He explained, trying to keep things simple.

Henry then looked over at Charlotte, and asked “Do you work on the cars?" Henry asked. "My sister Jenny likes to work on my car.”

“Henry! This is OUR car, not YOUR car!” Jenny corrected him loudly.

“When I’m driving it, it’s MY car!” Henry clarified.

Sidney stepped between their line of sight, “It’s everyone’s car, remember? Uncle Arthur made it for you for Christmas. He gave it to _all_ of you. One day, baby James will share it as well, yes?” He added a slightly sterner tone to help them understand that he was not going to have them argue over it, especially when they both liked to play with it, albeit in completely different ways.

“Yes, Uncle Sidney.”

“Yes, Unca Sidney,” Henry mimicked his sister’s apology and they both returned to their pretend activities.

Charlotte heard a small quiet giggle, turned toward the sound in the reading nook, and noticed another blond head hiding behind a blanket and surrounded in a high pile of pillows. If it hadn’t been for the long wavy blonde hair sticking up from the static, she would have never seen her. Charlotte tapped Sidney on the shoulder and quietly pointed to the stack of pillows that were hiding the first-born Parker niece. The glint in Sidney’s eyes was not something she had really seen from him before, except maybe when he was goofing with Babington and Crowe. He looked like a mischievous school boy, and Charlotte wondered if she had accidentally given too much away now that the little blonde head looked to be Sidney’s target.

He moved so quickly along the wall that joined the reading nook with the mini garage, that the little girl immersed in her book could not have seen his approach in time. Charlotte had just been thinking that his reflexes were so quick, and his movements so smooth, that she wasn’t sure she had ever seen someone move like he did. Before her thoughts could continue, he had sneaked up behind the pile of pillows and blankets. He grabbed almost the whole pile to pick her up and swing her around as she squealed first from surprise, and then from delight when she realized who had nabbed her when she wasn’t looking.

“UNCLE _SIDNEY_!” More laughing and squealing as he had managed to find her through the fluff and fabric and had tickled her tummy as her laughter rose from her belly and squeals could be heard throughout the house. Sidney was laughing and enjoying his successful sneak attack even more than little Alicia. She managed to catch her breath, and between the giggles and occasional squeals, she admonished her playful uncle. “Uncle _Sidney_!! I was _READING_!” But she was having too much fun to correct his silliness any further. He had managed to flip her around so that her head was upside down, and she was laughing so hard that her face was turning red. “STOOOOP!” She laughed again. He finally flipped her back until she was upright, braced on his hip, and facing him as he had her secured in his arms. “Silly Sidney!” She stubbornly set her hands on her hips, no doubt in a manner that she had seen her mother emulate on more that one occasion. “Silly, silly man! Your name should be Sillney, not Sidney. It would suit you much better,” she added with her own sense of mischief, and he kissed her forehead in apology.

“How are you sweet Alicia? Still reading every book in the house?” He asked in all seriousness.

“No silly! That will take me years, Uncle Sidney.” She shook her head at him and his boyishness.

“What then, has you SO distracted, that you did not see me and our new friends come in to visit you before lunch?” He asked with feigned offense at the slight. He set her back down on her feet. She rummaged through the large pile in search of her book, and finally stood up once she found it.

“The Secret Garden.” She answered him as she held the book up by Frances Hodgson Burnett, to show him the worn-out cover of the book. Either it had been her mother Mary’s copy, or it had been in the Parker family library for at least a couple generations.

“One of my favorites,” Charlotte said quietly from behind Sidney. Alicia’s eyes widened as she met this new adult. Alicia was not as small as the others at the age of 9, but Charlotte crouched a little to meet her at eye level.

“Alicia, this is my new friend and colleague at work, Charlotte.” Sidney made the introduction.

Charlotte gently put her hand out, and Alicia confidently took it and shook her hand while giving Charlotte her full attention. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Charlotte.” She was clearly well educated in her social behaviors by her mother, and almost seemed to be a miniature version of her.

Charlotte smiled and added, “I’m very pleased to meet you as well, Alicia. I see that you like to read,” and Alicia nodded as she watched Charlotte's wide brown eyes looking at her. “The Secret Garden is one of my favorites.” Charlotte left out the fact that she read it when she was 6, but being a little girl and reading about a little girl in the story, had been an awakening experience for her when she was young. Curious, she asked her, “Is this your first time reading it?”

Alicia shook her head, no. “I read it last year, but it feels like a different story this time, for some reason.”

“I read books and stories over and over, myself. Every time I read a story again, I always see something different, and learn something new. It seems you have discovered that as well.” She said with a knowing smile. “I would imagine it won’t be the last time you read it either.” She added with a small wink. Alicia smiled with all but her missing baby teeth showing, pleased that the new person seemed to understand her.

A booming voice preceded the lanky figure that bounded through the open door of the playroom. “All that screaming must mean that my little brother is here, terrorizing my lovely children!” Tom took his long strides to give Sidney a hug.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Tom. Are you well?” Sidney had noticed his brother’s uncharacteristic absence around the development of the car since the Heywood’s had joined the team.

“Oh, yes, yes! Just busy with working on getting new investors. You know how it is,” he said offhandedly, then looked down at his daughter who was still looking at Charlotte. “I see you have met the children, Charlotte.” He smiled at her, but she noticed that it seemed guarded now. He had been so effusive when they had first met, then she had not seen much of him, and now he was behaving like she was someone he had only just met. Awkward behavior, she thought, and definitely inconsistent.

He finally elaborated. “I’ve been in London lately, back and forth the last few weeks. I’m sure your agent will be getting with you on some of the sponsors we have been courting for the team. But only time will tell if they choose to sign on.”

It sounded to Sidney that he had been working a lot, just not where he could watch what he was doing. It also sounded, that with all that work he had been doing, that he may not have gotten very far in his aims. Sidney put his hand on Tom’s shoulder. “I’m sure it will all work out, Tom. Besides, I think things will go well in Melbourne. At least I hope so,” and he quietly squeezed Charlotte’s hand as she stood beside him. “I can promise we will do the best we can, Tom.” Tom nodded, and seemed to take a deep breath before he looked at his daughter next to him.

“Now Alicia, what do you say to lunch, my dear.” He smiled at her and bowed in a way that was a play on the history behind their family home, but also a show of his love and adoration for his first born, and the child who had made him a father. “Do you think the other two are ready?” And he looked over at his mini-pit crew working on the stunning replica of the team car from a year ago. 

They seemed to have barely noticed any of the interactions of the adults and their sister on the other side of the room. Michael had still been talking with them, and telling him about his work, and the karts his family made, which Henry and Jenny had been very interested in, and were full of questions. Jenny, however, had been paying attention to all of them and had heard everything. “Yes, Papa, I am starving!” She answered his question before he had asked it. She put her tools away in their drawer, and started to remove her coveralls, which revealed that she had not changed after church, but had simply hidden the lovely smocked pastel blue dress underneath.

“Jenny?” Sidney had noticed that she was overdressed for a comfortable family lunch. She looked over at him with her chin up, somewhat defiant, but mostly convinced of her innocence, whatever it was her uncle was going to ask her about. “Is that what your mother wants you to wear to lunch?” He hoped that she would pick the right answer herself.

She turned her head, looking away, and then looked down at the floor before looking back at her Uncle Sidney. “No, probably not.” She said. “I’ll change.” She put the last of her tools away and left to put on her play clothes before lunch. There was no trying to get out of it, no trying to hide anything anymore, not in front of her Uncle Sidney. Her father would have never noticed. Nothing would have been said until she was already seated at the table and her mother had had a good look at her. By then, lunch would have started, and her mother would have been too tired to argue. She liked her pretty dresses as much as she liked her coveralls and the little race car, and she really did not want to take it off. She looked over at her uncle as she walked out of the room, and he gave her smile and a nod. At least Uncle Sidney was nice, even if he was a little too attentive for her own tastes. She smiled back and went to her room to complete the task.

She walked past her Uncle Arthur as she left the room. “Why Jenny, don’t you look lovely!” He exclaimed. She looked up at him and gave him a sweet, ballet class curtsy in her dress before she changed. With a sweet smile, she thanked him and skipped off to her room down the hall from the playroom.

Arthur entered the playroom, and announced with a smile, “Mary has sent me to summon you all to lunch. No time to lose!” He walked over to Henry who was trying to get his foot loose from the car, and plucked him out like he weighed nothing. At 3, he didn’t weigh much, but Arthur had always been stronger than he looked from the outside.

Tom led the way with Alicia. Arthur was talking to Michael about the car he had made the children. It really was a magnificent replica. Even the steering wheel was quite a marvel in its exactness to the real thing. It only did not have a working LED screen or functions that communicated with computers about information from an actual moving car.

Sidney had watched one brother leave, and his younger brother was talking now with her brother, and didn’t seem to be leaving the room yet, so he made his decision. Grabbing her hand, he quickly pulled Charlotte into the empty hallway and pressed her to wall outside the door of the playroom and took her cheek in his right hand and pressed his body and his lips against hers urgently. He had missed her so much in the less than two days since she had left, and he knew their brothers would be outside the door any second. He had no time to lose if he wanted to show her how much he had been wanting to see her.

Her hand found his right shoulder and pulled him in even closer. She had never been kissed so passionately in her life, and she felt like she was heating up from inside her chest which then spread to every extremity. She didn’t want to stop kissing him, and it seemed that he felt the same way from the way he was touching her waist, pulling her closer to him, even if they really couldn’t get any closer. She didn’t know how long they had stood there when she heard a giggle from behind Sidney. He must have heard it too because they both pulled away at the same time, and the look on his face was probably the same level of shock with a small mixture of shame that she was wearing.

Sidney licked his lips dry before he stood straight and put on a small grin before he turned around. He spoke calmly. “Jenny…” She was still giggling. Charlotte could see the little girl if she tilted her head to look around Sidney. Dressed in leggings and a matching loose top, she had clearly followed his directions to change. Charlotte pulled her lips in over her teeth to press them together. In part to recuperate from the intensity of the kiss, and also to keep from giggling at the situation herself.

Jenny had finally calmed down enough to talk. “Uncle Sidney, is Charlotte your girlfriend?” She was curious, but she was also skeptical. At the age of 7, she had never seen her Uncle Sidney with a girlfriend before.

Sidney bit his swollen upper lip and dropped his head a little. This was embarrassing, and he really should have known better, but with Charlotte around, he wasn’t always thinking as clearly as usual. “Yes, Jenny, Charlotte is my girlfriend.” No reason to try and get anything past Jenny. She would figure it out on her own anyway. He reached behind him and caught Charlotte’s hand, and brought her out from behind him. He looked over at her, and Charlotte was smiling softly at his niece.

Jenny looked at Charlotte, and then at Sidney. She nodded, as if her approval was sought, or even necessary. “I like her. She’s smart and very pretty.” Assessment over, she smiled and skipped over to the stairs. They could hear her still giggling a little as she jumped and danced down the hardwood steps, enjoying the noise her feet were making as she went.

They looked at each other, but before anything else could be said, Michael and Arthur were walking out of the playroom. They were talking easily between them, sharing some tales from their own early years. “Arthur you should help me talk to them about bringing the kids to Willingden. They would love the Kart track. That is if you think Tom and Mary would let them. We were driving the slower and heavier karts when we were their age. Plus, we could give them lessons, and there are plenty of Heywoods to keep an eye on them and make sure they’re being safe.” Michael looked over at Charlotte. “Don’t you think Lottie? They would love it!”

Charlotte nodded, “Of course! I’m sure they would love it. We should talk to Mary about it.”

Sidney was still holding her hand behind her back where their brothers couldn’t see. It wasn’t that they didn’t know about how the two felt about each other, obviously. But the lack of privacy and alone time with her was beginning to frustrate him. He nodded in agreement, and let the other two walk in front of them toward the steps. He held her back a moment longer, and pulled back her hand to keep her from walking away. After she turned to face him again, she let out a small shy laugh.

“I missed you so much,” he finally expressed through his words.

“I missed you too.” She laid her other hand on his chest to emphasize how much. He smiled at her and pulled her in for one more kiss. As much as he wanted to use his words, his actions were all he could think of to express himself right now. She smiled as they pulled away.

“Sidney?!” Mary was calling him from the bottom of the steps. “It’s Lunch!” She emphasized sweetly, but with just enough tension that he understood her meaning.

“On the way Mary,” and he looked at Charlotte one more time before he led her to the steps.

***

The lunch had gone well, Diana was quietly checking everyone’s plates, she couldn’t help it. She wished sometimes that she could turn it off, but everything she had read, studied, researched, and experimented with in her years from the age of 17 through 32, had been focused on physical health. She took a deep breath when Henry helped himself to another roll while his roasted tomatoes were still on his plate. She chose to look away when Jenny ladled gravy on top of her roast beef. When Alicia only ate 3 of the green beans on her plate, she had to take a moment to look up at the ceiling and breathe. Luckily, Sidney was on his usual best behavior.

She fortunately, had not seen the small slice of the lean beef he had taken while it was still in the kitchen, and while he helped Mary bring the platters and bowls to the table. Mary might have been enabling him a little. She found it hard not to indulge him, and for him it was even harder to stay away from her excellent cooking. Everything else was exactly as Diana would have wanted his meal to be, but he found that if he stayed away from all meat, dairy, and eggs, it was almost impossible to go back to them. Once, every week or two weeks, he would have something. Otherwise, the aversion he developed to the foods almost made it impossible to add them back to his diet. He did not want to have to eliminate everything to that extent. Instead, he chose to restrict his foods about 90-95% of the time.

Tom had done an excellent job of keeping Charlotte and Michael busy with stories on what they could expect in Melbourne. He told them about the facilities at the track, the hotel they would be staying in, and the types of press work the team would do. Most of those functions were for the drivers, and for himself as team principal. He asked Michael to come to one or two of the events to see what they were like. He commented that Charlotte and he might be expected at a reception where other team bosses and F1 and FIA officials would be attending, as well as the drivers and some of the more significant sponsors’ representatives. It was an event to open the racing season. Charlotte nudged her brother on her right, who was sitting right next to Tom with his seat at the head of the table.

“See, I told you that you would need a suit. If you haven’t packed one, you better do it before we leave.” She told him in a whisper, and gave him a condescending ‘I told you so’ look. His comments about her luggage and packing were still a bit of a sore spot with her. She prided herself on her efficiency, but this was an entirely new experience.

He rolled his eyes at her. “Great,” he said sarcastically and quietly for just her to hear. He did not love it when she was right. It had happened with so much frequency in their short lives. Going away to boarding school had given him a break and had allowed him to realize that he was smarter than he sometimes thought. The comparisons he had made of himself with what Charlotte had been doing, or saying, or reading, had given him a false sense of what was typical. Once he had gotten to school with similarly minded students. Ones who were smart, and motivated, and also liked to play sports and the occasional video games, he learned that he had far more talents than he knew. If he found other boys who liked racing karts as well, then that was a bonus. He had excelled in school, graduated with 4 successful A level exams. Captain of the water polo team, Captain of the rugby team. At least he had made a mark on the rugby team before Timothy got there, he thought. In any other family, Michael would have been a 'golden boy' and easily the typical first-born success story. In many ways, he still was. But even at school and with all his mates, there was always a seed of doubt. Or maybe just a knowledge about life that his friends didn't know yet. In fact, it probably helped to drive his ambitions and his work ethic. Charlotte had shown him very early, what it meant to be "gifted" in the truest sense of the term, and there was no way he could be what she was.

Charlotte’s voice shook him out of his thoughts. “Don’t worry, you have a great suit, you just need to pack it. No big deal.”

She was suddenly very chill about this, he thought. She didn’t take him to task, and she dropped the teasing. She was usually one to go in for the kill if she was in the mood for it. Which was most of the time, he thought. He looked over at her. Sidney was sitting at her other side, and they were talking. She was smiling, he was smiling, they both looked like they barely noticed anyone else at the table. With the chatter between the children, who were talking with Mary, Diana and Arthur on the other end and side of the table, no one else seemed to notice. Tom had continued talking about Melbourne, and how much he loved Australia. Everyone was so friendly, always so excited to see the fanfare with the teams, the team and press events, but then the race was always a nail-biter. Which is what he didn’t love so much. He continued talking about how beautiful the city was, the park where the race track looped around the small lake. Michael just smiled and nodded as he kept talking.

Mary was pleased with how everything had been going. Despite a few skirmishes between Henry and Jenny at the table, everything seemed to be going smoothly. She had also enjoyed watching Sidney with Charlotte. She had never seen him this way. He was smiling so much she wondered how he was going to eat his meal. His body seemed to only be curved and leaning toward hers. She was the only one he seemed to be listening to, even when Henry tried to get his attention, and Henry always got Sidney's attention. She was pleased to see that Charlotte had nudged Sidney and nodded her head toward Henry across the table to help redirect his attention to his nephew. Henry adored and idolized Sidney, and Mary was happy to see that Charlotte was aware of her children, and also that she was able to direct Sidney when he needed it. She had hoped he would find someone who could understand him, as well as handle him and his occasional moods. Though, perhaps, the moods might be attributed to the fact that he did not have someone close in his life, she thought.

She watched as Sidney and Henry talked about racing, and football, and the picture he had drawn that he wanted to show his uncle. Charlotte was kind, and had listened to all of the children so well, it was hard not to be impressed with how she had endeared herself to almost the entire Parker family so quickly. As she watched the interactions around the table, she noticed that whenever Charlotte was talking, Sidney was only looking at her. It was early days still in this relationship. Quite literally, just _days_ , she reminded herself. But it was also easy to think that one day Charlotte might be a Parker as well. She became a little wistful at the thought, then shook it from her head. Sidney was capable of it, she was sure. But there was a lot in his past that could make it challenging for him. She would not get ahead of herself. She straightened her posture and smiled before asking her table of family and guests if they wanted any more to eat before dessert was served.

40 minutes later, Sidney was playing football with the children and Diana in the garden. Michael and Charlotte had insisted on helping Mary with the clean-up, assuring her that their mother would never forgive them if they didn’t. And Arthur was with Tom in his study, discussing the week ahead, and Arthur was not happy.

“Tom, I realize that your job is very different from mine, but I do _not_ understand how you have been so _cavalier_ in your oversight of the team and the developments we have made.” Arthur was standing with his hands on his hips staring him down.

“Arthur, I told you, I’m working on the investment side of things right now. All of the developments cost money!” He added.

Arthur took a deep breath. He knew that this was something that Tom had always worried about. But he also knew that things almost always had a solution. In the past, some of those solutions had been painful, for all the Parker children, and he did not want Tom to bring all of those moments up now as some kind of defence of his absent behavior as of late. “Tom, I know your responsibilities lie elsewhere than the factory. I also know that the employees all look to you for affirmation of their work. They need to know that what we are doing is fulfilling the vision of our goals. They don’t need to be babysat, but they need encouragement in order to get the most out of their work!”

Tom nodded and ran his hand through his straight hair, pulling it out of his eyes. They had both been standing by his desk that overlooked the garden. He was agitated on his feet, and started pacing a little, pausing to watch the family football match outside the window. That only seemed to make him more tense, and his eyes became more desperate. “I know Arthur, and right now we are fine.” He assured his brother and himself. “It’s next season, and the next season, and the season after that, that I can’t seem to stop thinking on.” He was now rubbing his eyes and his face with one of his hands, clearly frustrated and worried.

“Tom, we have to get through next week, and the week after, and the next race, before we can even THINK about next season, or the next _three_ seasons!” He seemed to be obsessing in a way Arthur had never seen before. “Besides, what you did finding the Heywoods, that was brilliant! A real stroke of genius plucking them up from F3 before anyone else did. I really think that will help this year, and I hope in the years to come.” He added encouragingly. It was all the truth as well. It had been brilliant. “We won’t really know until next Sunday how everything is looking, but you cannot worry yourself to death until we actually _race_ these cars, and test the team’s work!”

Tom looked at Arthur instead of out the window and it seemed to settle him. “Yes, yes. Of course, Arthur. You are always so sensible in these matters. No need to work ourselves up unless we need to.” He said it to Arthur, but he had really only said it to himself. Arthur shook his head, his brothers both seemed to be going through crises this season. Suddenly he felt a lot more responsibility on his shoulders than before.

“Try to find some way to clear your mind. To relax. You being your positive and optimistic self will be a greater help to the team, than this current state of distress.” He caught his brother’s eyes. Tom nodded. He understood what he meant, and took a deep breath.

“I will, Arthur.” He answered.

“And for heaven’s sake! Bring something to help you sleep on the plane if you need it. We can’t have you in this state with all the staff on the flight with you.” He thought he might put Diana on this task. Finding ways to help Tom deal with his self-imposed stress. Fortunately Tom nodded in agreement again. “Better?” He asked.

“Oh yes! Better.” Tom said it fairly convincingly, but Arthur knew better.

“Right.” He gave him a small grin and turned to go find Diana outside. No time like the present to find a solution, he thought. He luckily came upon the football match, right as Sidney was helping Henry practice how to make a penalty kick, and the match had ended. Finding Diana, he pulled her to a quiet corner outside to express his concerns. She seemed to be somewhat aware that Tom was not himself, and promised to do what she could to keep an eye on him. Arthur turned to find Sidney, but he had already taken the children inside, and was no doubt at Charlotte’s side, if his behavior from earlier today was any indication. He felt like he was trying to herd cats, and right now he needed to go home, finish packing his things, and head to Gatwick like everyone else did. Tom really did have a knack for having a break down at exactly the worst times, he thought. 

Once he had made it through to the kitchen, he found Mary, and she was walking with Michael, Charlotte, and Sidney to the door. Sidney was whispering something to Charlotte, and she nodded as she looked up at him with her doe eyes. Michael was thanking Mary again for the lovely meal and afternoon.

“Thank you, Michael! I’ve rarely had a guest who was so thorough in helping to wash up the pans! You are certainly welcome at any time.” Mary teased him, but was also smiling at him with her gratitude. The Heywoods were out the door, with plans to meet up with Sidney shortly after, to start the drive north.

Once he had the two of them alone in the foyer, Arthur spoke quickly before they were interrupted. “I had an interesting conversation with Tom, earlier. He seems to be quite distressed.” He let that sink in a moment. “Mary, has he been well lately?”

Mary stopped to think. “He has hardly been here,” she said calmly. He’s been in London working on new investors from what he told me.

“Yes, he told me the same earlier,” Sidney added. “Said something about my agent contacting me, maybe. It didn’t seem like a definite thing yet.”

“He told me about the same.” Arthur was thinking. “I’m concerned for him. He did not seem himself. In fact, he hasn’t seemed himself in over a month,” he added. Mary was twisting her fingers together, obviously worried.

“What do you think is wrong, Arthur?” Mary really hadn’t seen her husband much lately. He had been on the phone or sending emails in his office when he actually was home. The children always kept her busy, and he had not wanted to talk about work when they were spending time together as a family. She helped to oversee their personal finances, so it could not be a problem there. But he also was a dynamic and sensitive person. He had struggled with depression in the past, but he had not had an occurrence of it in years, she thought. The depression always seemed to tie into the death of someone they knew and loved. Sadly, that had happened more than once for the family. Nothing like that had happened in years, or was happening now. She had really been taken by surprise by Arthur’s statement.

“I’m not sure Mary. Maybe its just nerves before the beginning of the season. We all get them.” They both seemed to nod in agreement. Kicking off a new season was always stress inducing. “I did want to tell you I spoke already with Diana, and she is going to keep an eye on him. Hopefully she is speaking with him right now,” he added. They both seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. They knew that at least Diana would be consistent with helping him, if he needed it. “I just want to make sure we are all keeping an eye on him,” Arthur added. He managed a small grin. “Besides, we are Parkers, and Parkers stick together.”

Sidney clamped his hand on his shoulder. “True brother. I am glad you told us of your concerns. I have had a few myself, but he has not talked to me about any of this." He said gravely. "I’ll do what I can…” He thought of how this week was going to have him pulled in many directions.

“I know you have too much to do already, Sidney.” Mary said with her own concerns. “I’ll make sure the children and I are calling him, and I’ll make sure to set reminders for us so that we time the calls well. Maybe in the mornings,” she thought out loud. “I’ll make a schedule with him. That always seems to help when he has a schedule to follow.” She took out her phone and started punching in information into her calendar.

Arthur nodded, “good thinking, Mary, and you are right.” He looked over to Sidney and spoke seriously. “We need you at your best this week, and you are already distracted with Charlotte around. It might be better if you leave most of this to the rest of us.” Sidney was a little hurt. He had always been able to push himself whenever he had wanted to.

“I’m not going to abandon Tom if he needs us, Arthur!” He whispered it so that no one but the three of them could hear. Jenny’s ears were going to get them all into trouble someday if they weren’t careful.

“I’m not asking that!” Arthur whispered back. “Just… leave the heavy lifting to us this week. If we need you, or if Tom says he needs you, then yes. By all means, step in, but you are the only one who can _drive the car_! That’s where Tom needs you the _most_!” He capped-off his plea with an irrefutable fact.

Sidney’s temper retreated. He knew Arthur was right. ‘Damn mathematicians!’ He thought to himself. Always reducing a problem to its most basic solution. He reluctantly nodded. “Yes, you’re right. I’ll focus on what I need to. In fact, I need to get going. I still need to get the Rover and pick up Charlotte.

Mary looked at Sidney. “Yes. You do that. She’ll need someone to look after her this week too. She has no idea what she is walking into with a full paddock of teams, VIPs, and reporters.” She shook her head at the thought. She had seen enough to know she had already seen too much. It was a cross between a three ring circus with all its moving parts, a border war between 10 rival tribes, topped off with billions of Euros’ worth of equipment, highly charged personalities, and exceptional talent in one tiny space next to a high speed race track.

Sidney nodded, understanding her meaning. “Don’t hesitate, Mary. If anything seems wrong, or even ‘off’ a little. Let all of us know.”

She nodded her answer, and kissed his cheek. “Good luck this week Sidney. I’m sure Jenny and Henry will be watching all of it.” She smiled at him, trying to lighten the subject.

He left through the front door, and walked in the direction of his ‘garage’ with an additional burden to think of, that he wasn’t _supposed_ to think of, but he _would_ think of, even if they didn’t _want him_ to. He rubbed his hand in his hair, and finished his walk to pick up the Range Rover. He stopped to collect his things at his house, set the alarm, and got back in the driver’s seat. His mood finally lifted as he drove toward Denham Place to pick up the woman he could not stop think about. He was going to choose to enjoy the moments he had with her. Finding the time had already been so difficult. Even if they were going to be surrounded by all their colleagues, and a good portion of their family on the plane. He would find a way to have some meaningful conversations with her.

At least he had already settled the seating arrangements with the travel department. He took a deep breath. It felt like he was preparing himself to weave through a mine field. On top of it all, he had to focus on the race. He shook his head at himself. Maybe he could call Georgiana later, she always seemed to cut to the quick of things. The drive leading to the Heywood’s flat was suddenly in front of him. He had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t even been paying attention to his driving. He bounded up the steps when he arrived, and rung the bell. He saw her through the window, pulling her luggage toward the door before she opened it.

“You should let me help you with those.” His voice was deep but quiet as he stepped inside, and his eyes were pulling her even closer toward him.

She smiled, as she let him take one of the suitcase handles in his left hand, but he surprised her by pulling her to him with his right. She let out a small startled giggle before he kissed her as he pulled her even closer. She was not sure that she would ever get used to his quick movements. At the same time, she hoped she wouldn’t get used to them. Everything about him was terribly exhilarating. She had never felt so affected by a man like she was with him. He was more than capable of “sweeping” her off her feet, and for the first time ever in her life, she was willing to let someone have that kind of influence over her. She dropped the handle of the other suitcase and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was enjoying the freedom of her feelings, physical and emotional, that she felt when she was with him. Their kiss slowed to a gentle stop and Sidney laid his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. The timer on his watch beeped. He groaned, knowing that it was telling him that the time to leave was near.

“Well, Dr. Heywood. Are you ready for your first race week?” He was really wishing they could just stay there in the flat tonight. To not have to go anywhere else.

“I suppose I won’t know until I’ve actually lived through it...” she answered with a smile. “…Mr. Parker,” she breathed his name and moved closer to him and kissed him again, practically teasing him with the intensity of her lips on his. She certainly wasn’t making their need to leave any easier on herself, either.

“Geez Lottie!” Michael knew that this was eventually going to happen, but it was still uncomfortable to walk in on their make-out session. “I can’t **bloody well** announce myself every time I turn a corner in _here_!” He stepped back as he had almost run into them in the short foyer. He saw their red faces at his comment. “Sorry Sidney, I guess this is going to take some getting used to,” he added sheepishly, trying to recover the situation.

“No, no. You’re right, Michael. We’ll try to do better, and pick places that are more… secluded.” Sidney said as he looked down at Charlotte’s blushing cheeks.

“Yes, sorry Michael.” She said, and then straightened herself, and her shirt after bringing her arms down from Sidney high shoulders. “I suppose it’s time to pack the cars anyway.” She avoided eye contact with her brother and she went around him to get her tote and duffel bag. Her bags were packed next to Sidney’s in the back of his Rover. Michael was driving his own car, but following them so that he would know where to park for the correct gate since it was a chartered flight.

Once they were in the safety and solitude of his car, Charlotte finally let go of the laugh she had been holding in. “I _know_ I shouldn’t be laughing at this, but I have never seen him react that way to something that wasn’t a sporting event!” That made Sidney laugh as well, and he shook his head.

“At least he’s not shy about expressing himself,” he said with a laugh. That only made Charlotte laugh harder.

“8 kids, 2 parents, you learn to express yourself early with so many people in the house!” She said definitively, but she was still laughing. “I suppose that is our challenge then,” she said looking at him. “Finding places that are more ‘secluded.’” She was smiling at him now.

He reached for her right hand as he looked down at her. With his dulcet deep tones, he answered with his sideways grin. “Challenge accepted, Dr. Heywood,” and he kissed the back of her hand as he held her gaze.


	29. Flying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick RL note: Just taking this chance to recognize Lewis Hamilton's 7th World Driver's Championship, which he won today in a very rainy race in Turkey.
> 
> Thank you again for all the great comments! 😊❤️❤️❤️🥰 Love to hear from you.

Chapter 29

The Etihad Boeing 787-9 was waiting for them when they arrived at the private gate at London Gatwick Airport. Attendants had taken all their luggage, and Sidney was helping to carry her duffel bag in one hand, and his own black leather duffel in the other. The jet bridge was open for boarding, and as a chartered flight, the process was much less complicated. Charlotte had never flown business class, and this Etihad plane had about 40 business class seats, the rest were economy. No first-class seats were in this particular design, which was for the best. The first-class seats on Etihad were practically private cubicles. It would hardly have looked good to share a flight with the mechanics, engineers, and pit crew mostly filling out the economy seats, with the upper level team in first class. One of the reasons they liked this airline was that their economy seats were wider, and reclined well for sleeping on long flights. They also had more seats than the team actually needed, so those who were flying in economy would be able to spread out and have more space.

Being familiar with this plane design, Sidney had managed to reserve one of the center rows in business for himself and Charlotte. Only 3 of the rows had seats next to each other, and he had made sure that one of them was reserved for the two of them. It wasn’t private, but at least they could be together. He had checked on Tom as they boarded. He was with Diana, she must have driven him, he thought. He already looked calmer, and it was fairly easy to talk with Diana once Tom had taken his seat/bed and settled in to fall asleep a with ear plugs and an eye-mask on. Diana was wrapping the seat belt around him for take off, and he hadn't budged.

“What did you give him? He’s practically in REM sleep already!” He whispered to Diana once he had helped with her bags when she had gotten to her own seat right behind Tom.

“It’s a simple, and gentle combination of theanine, tryptophan, and a mild amount of melatonin, plus a couple of other things to help with relaxation,” she added offhandedly. “Hopefully when he wakes, the effects will still help to keep him calmer for the next leg of the flight. Plus, I think he had already worn himself out with whatever it is that is bothering him.” She settled her small lap top on the little desk next to her seat and pulled a bag with things she wanted nearby during the trip. “What about you and Charlotte, do you need something to help you sleep?”

Sidney thought that it might be impossible to sleep while sitting next to Charlotte, so he nodded. “Yes, I think I might… Not sure I’ll be able to sleep this first leg without something to keep me calm.” He stated but with out elaboration. From the smirk on Diana’s face, she already knew what he was talking about.

“I’ll check with Michael too,” she added. “These trips are a lot to adjust to, if you’re not used to them.” She moved down the aisle where Michael was sitting near James and their Sporting Director, Fred Robinson.

Charlotte had been getting herself settled in her seat. She had followed Clara’s advice, mostly because it made sense, but also because Clara had not steered her wrong so far. She had her tote with what she wanted on the little desk by her seat. She was wearing her stretchy yoga pants, and had a long sleeve T and a comfortable loose cardigan of the same material as her leggings. Almost pajamas, but not. Where she was seated had her and Sidney in the middle aisle and facing the front of the plane, despite being on different aisles. There was a short wall, the height of their seats separating their two business class seats. The other seats were facing opposite and alternate directions, which helped give some privacy between the passengers, but it would hardly be considered “private.” She was both a little relieved, and also disappointed. Being next to Sidney for the next 23 hours was going to be a challenge for her, and her growing affection and attraction. If he had been ready to have her stay with him after their first date, she would have said yes. It was intractable, her desire for him. She had been fighting it since the very first day, at lunch. Proximity to him, physically, had ignited parts of her that she did not realize existed. She bit her lip just thinking of it. Every time he got close to her, a resistance that had never wavered before in her life, seemed completely ineffective. She wanted him. His desire to take things more slowly and to be more serious in his approach to her, was endearing and made her feel like he respected and valued her. That only wore down her resistance even more. She had been doing a lot of her deep breathing to calm and center herself lately, and it had nothing to do with work. She needed a distraction from all these thoughts.

Fortunately, Clara walked toward her down the aisle, smiling. She handed Charlotte a small Ziploc bag. “Here, this is a sleep mask, foam ear plugs, lip balm, mints, and some spray moisturizer for your skin. This flight will be very de-hydrating since it’s so long.”

“ _Thank you_ , Clara. I’ve taken your packing list to heart, and maybe over packed a little, but I would rather be prepared, as you suggested.” Charlotte said quietly, with others getting into their seats around them. Clara sat down on the stretched-out seat that already was set up for Charlotte’s sleeping space.

With a devious twinkle in her eyes, she quietly asked Charlotte what she had been dying to know. “So, how are things going with Sidney?”

Charlotte’s uncontrolled smile gave her most of her answer. “Very well. Our first date was last week, and the next day he asked me to ‘be his girlfriend.’” She said with a small roll of her eyes. It all felt a bit like being 14 again. “But of course, it was more eloquent than that,” she added.

Clara smiled, “It does sound like it’s going well. And your family knows?” She asked, wanting to make sure that any coverage the two of them received in the coming week would not be a surprise to her family. Charlotte nodded.

“Yes, we talked about it this weekend when we visited.” her eyes looked upward and she shook her head a little to show that it had been an ‘iffy’ conversation. “It went OK... My dad was not so thrilled, but I imagine that would be the same for most fathers,” she added.

“Well, yes... Fathers that care about their daughters, anyway” Clara raised a brow, and looked away for a brief flash. “I’m glad.” She smiled at Charlotte. “This is definitely the way to go.” She paused and looked back over her shoulder where Sidney was speaking with Diana, before turning back. “I really hope things work out for the two of you. Also, please remember if you need me for anything. _Anything_ at all, I am here for you. I'll be at all the press conferences, and I can shadow you in the paddock to avoid some of the press, if you like." She smiled again. "Like I said before, there are few women on these teams, it’s nice to have an ally.” She gave her hand a small pat, but she was also 100% sincere.

Charlotte laid her hand over Clara's. She wasn’t someone to be over emotional, but she also knew what Clara had done to help her so far. “Thank you, Clara. I don’t know where I would be without your help. In _so_ many different areas! I only hope that I can return the favors someday,” She shook her head. “You’ve been instrumental in my adjustment to the team, I really can’t thank you enough.”

Clara was moved. “Thank you, Charlotte. I must say, you make it easy for people to want to help and to work with you. As long as you keep that up, with everything coming, you will be fine. Oh, and If we get a chance early in the week, we should do some shopping again. Lots of great shops in Melbourne!” She smiled. “Now! I am going to curl up on my own little cot, and try to get some beauty sleep. Make sure you’re drinking water, and use these to help you fall asleep.” She held up the small bag with the kit she had made for her. She winked and added, “The mints are for when you wake up.” She stood and headed back up the aisle like she was moving down a cat-walk to her more private window seat on the other aisle near the front.

***

Sidney had seen Charlotte talking with Clara, and decided to give them a minute to finish whatever they were talking about. He was standing near the front where Tom was seated when Crowe came aboard with Babington following right behind. They greeted one another before Crowe jumped right in to the most pressing topic. He tilted his head toward Charlotte. "You, uh, said things were going well," he said quietly. " _How_ well?" He added with a wide grin.

Sidney looked down to hide his smile, but it was impossible to hide it from his two closest friends, and raised his head. "Well enough... that we are 'dating.'" He held up his hand to George to stop him before he started. "Babers, I am not getting in to this with you. Not here, not now." He said sternly. "Besides it's too late. She told her parents about us when she went home this weekend."

Crowe's eyebrows rose in shock. "That sounds... _inescapably_ official, are you quite OK with all this?" He was skeptical that Sidney had finally crossed the great divide after his earlier heartbreak.

This time Sidney let his friends see his smile. "Yes, quite OK. In fact, I suggested it." He said still grinning. "Besides, we are still in the early stages and taking it slowly." He looked at Babers for that last part. He said it, but he wasn't sure exactly what that meant anymore.

George took in a deep breath. After he had met Esther, he had a better understanding of the effect Charlotte had on Sidney. Indeed, he felt that he fully understood it now. He nodded. "You are both adults. If this is what you both want, I don't expect there is much anyone could do to stop you." He looked over where Charlotte was still talking with Clara. "I hope she makes you happy old friend. Truly. And I _dearly_ hope you will do the same for her. You deserve to be happy." He wore a soft grin, but he could no longer step in to try and slow down their feelings. Sidney had done well enough, he thought. Even waiting a couple weeks to confirm how he was feeling before he approached her was a stretch for him. To even _admit_ that he had feelings was like another 'giant leap for mankind,' he thought, shaking his head at his friend. "If this isn't the real thing for you Sidney, then I don't know what is," he admitted. He clapped his hand on Sidney's upper arm in a manly show of affection, and let his dimples show in a wide smile.

"Just don't do anything to **fuck it up** , Sidney." Crowe, always the realist. He consistently knew exactly what to say, even if it was exactly what no one wanted to hear.

"Well, that _is_ the goal, Robert." He replied dryly, but he still wore his sideways grin.

They talked further about Melbourne, and the schedule. Crowe was looking where Clara was going to her seat, now that she had left Charlotte's seat, but she was ignoring him. He checked his ticket and moved toward the aisle where Charlotte was sitting. "Babers, you on the other side, love?" He said teasing him loudly for others to hear.

George rolled his eyes and checked his ticket, "It appears so, _dear_. Don't wait up, but I will be there soon." He added sarcastically.

Sidney chuckled at their decade old joke, that never got old. "You sitting with him, then?" A little surprised that George would put himself through that torture.

Babers shrugged. "Who else am I going to sit with? Besides, I made sure the seats aren't the ones that are right next to each other. Otherwise I'm sure I would strangle him at some point on this long flight." He laughed. He looked over at Charlotte who was getting out her laptop. "I see you have made... _other_ arrangements with your seats..."

Sidney would not let that go without saying anything. "If it were Esther, wouldn't you do the same?" He said with a mischievous grin.

Very seriously, Babers said, "If it were _Esther_ , I would have hired a plane _just_ for the two of us." He grinned at the thought.

"Well, your _Lordship_ , I suppose you will have to work on that for next year." He laughed, and clapped his own hand on his friend's shoulder. He let Babers walk ahead of him down the same aisle as his seat was further back.

George greeted Charlotte as he walked past, and she smiled and responded. "Oh, hello George! Are you doing well?" She had not spoken with Esther. A few texts over the weekend, but those were mostly about her family and how her father was doing. She had no idea if she had worked out her "phases" yet. In some way, she hoped she wouldn't, and would give him a chance instead.

"Quite well, Charlotte, thank you." He smiled at her in return, but did not ask about her best friend. They already had too much to think about for this week. Plus her new understanding with Sidney was enough to think about, he admitted. He continued to walk toward his seat.

Moments later, Charlotte heard what could only have been Crowe speaking loudly. " _Babers_ , darling, _whatever_ took you so _long_?!" Followed by raucous laughter between the two of them, and most of the business class seats on the plane.

Sidney was laughing at them as well, and looked over at her with so much joy in his eyes. She knew most of it was from the antics of his ridiculous friends, but the way he held her eyes meant that what he was showing her now was hers. She let herself laugh at the silliness behind them, and shared that same look as well. 

Charlotte watched as Sidney sat on his own bed-seat. She knew they were all supposed to try and sleep after they took off, to try and adjust to the time change. The trouble was that she was not feeling sleepy at all. She was much too excited and nervous to be able to relax. She opened up her laptop, and started working on a list of things she wanted personally to check in the garage once they got there. She composed an email to her parents and briefly checked her inbox. She was quickly typing a response to a group of the engineers also on the flight, and another one with some questions about the track, to Fred. Sidney had put his things away, and was watching her now as she worked. She was grinning just at his presence before she was even finished typing. He made it so incredibly difficult to concentrate sometimes. She could tell that he was looking at her, and she simply shook her head. Thinking of him at the same time as her fingers flew over the keys as she typed. Such a distraction, she thought. Then she corrected herself in her head. No, he is the _ultimate_ distraction.

“Comfortable?” He asked smiling, as she finally shut the screen flat on top of the keyboard of her laptop. He had been watching as the grin on her face grew more and more into a wide smile as he had been intently looking at her. He could have cared less what she was typing, but he had marveled at her skill on the keyboard. He thought she had probably typed many reports, theses, and entered countless data cells in her time in school. He grinned for a moment. “You know, if this whole science, research, F1 development thing doesn’t work out, I’m pretty sure you are typing at least 100 words per minute on that thing.” He was teasing, and he wanted her rebuke and ultimately, her attention. He lived for it now, and he was rewarded accordingly.

“Really? And what, exactly can one do with typing 100 words per minute?” Her eyes narrowed but the side of her mouth curled until she managed to straighten it. She was looking at him, with that dimple in her chin pointed up in his direction.

He had to dip his head as he gave a small half grin so that he could break eye contact for a moment. Sometimes direct eye contact with her made his emotions unstable and too intense. “I’m not entirely sure, if I’m honest.” He replied as he looked back up at her. “But whatever it is, you would be _grossly_ over-qualified.” He couldn’t hide his smile at this point. She was delightful to spar with. She never let him off the hook, and if she did, it was because she had another motive in mind. He was relieved that she smiled back.

“Well, I suppose I should be grateful that you admitted you didn’t know something,” she teased back. She loved that he enjoyed playful banter. It was how her whole family spoke with each other. It kept them all honest. All of them checking each other’s egos, or correcting them when they let their insecurities take over. It helped them find a balance by using humor. She looked at him, relaxed in his long sleeve T and a pair of track pants for the plane trip. He was just as attractive as when he was wearing a suit. He looked younger, and much more playful, but no less enigmatic.

He laughed at her quip. It was everything he liked about her. She was smart, amusing, and wasn’t overly impressed by his job, or his money, or really any of it. She clearly respected him, but she did not take him too seriously. It helped to not take _himself_ too seriously, and actually helped him relax. He composed himself. “Well, don’t get too used to it,” he said quietly as he leaned closer to her with his eyes smiling.

She let her head fall back in a laugh that was just loud enough to be heard by their neighbors over the air conditioning vents blowing toward their seats. She had been so nervous, and also had felt like such a novice, that she was starting to feel the pressure and expectations for the week before they had even left the ground. It felt so good to be able to release that pressure, like popping the cork from a bottle of champagne. It is always easier to let it go slowly, than to force the pressure to pop it out of the bottle like a rocket. He had definitely been rewarded with the melodic sound of her laughter, and hoped this boded well for the rest of the trip.

They were soon told to buckle-in, despite the beds that were set up, for their take off. Before they knew it, they were traveling at an altitude of 35,000 feet. Charlotte had tried to find a way to calm herself. The usual breathing exercises had helped, but her mind would not let her rest. Sidney was reading a book about meditation, which seemed ironic, given that she was not letting herself relax in any sense of the word, other than she was sitting up in what was essentially a bed. It was strange. He was sitting in his own ‘bed-seat’ directly next to her own. There was a small divider between the seats which rose from the floor up to the seat cushion height. The two pods could be separated by pressing a button to raise it up to height of the pod walls. Of course, that was not what either of them wanted. It also felt strangely comfortable to be sharing a relaxed space as they were. Almost natural. She shut down that train of thought. She did not want to let her expectations get ahead of the situation, and dating for a grand total of _three_ days, did _not_ a serious relationship make. At least, this was what she kept telling herself.

Sidney had watched as she attempted to rest or relax, which made keeping his attention on his book nearly impossible. Finally, he shut the book covers, and mentioned Diana’s sleep aid to Charlotte. “It’s working great for Tom, maybe it’s a good idea to try it.” She nodded, thinking about what he had told her.

“Yes, I think I will. I can’t seem to relax right now.” She blushed a little and looked embarrassed about needing help.

“It’s only just 8:30, it’s no wonder you’re not exactly tired,” he added to reassure her. “It’s only normal.” He rummaged through his own bag, and found the bottle with the sleep supplements that Diana had given him. “Just take one. You’re so small, two would put you out for too long,” he said with a smile as he handed her the small capsule. “And drink a lot of water with it. Diana 's orders,” he said that so she knew it was coming from the expert, and not him. He pressed his fingertips into her palm to place the small capsule securely in her hand, and let his hand linger there for a moment.

To Charlotte, the sensation she received whenever he touched her brought back those electric "circuits" she had with him. That growing electrical field the longer they were physically in contact which made her nerve endings dance. It was the combination of both of them that created the effect. She relished it, and let her mind wander as she looked at him, and the feeling stayed even as he removed his hand. He smiled sheepishly and sat back with his book. Definitely need this little pill right now, she thought, as she took out her water bottle.

***

They were beginning their descent into Abu Dhabi when she woke. The lower, bass sound from the engines signaled the change, and the hair on the back of her neck stood to attention. She had fallen asleep easily, but was now fully awake. She propped herself up on her elbows, removed the eye mask, and blinked as she tried to adjust to the darkened cabin. She had pulled the small divider on the aisle side of her seat as far as it would go. She dared a look over at Sidney’s seat, and he was still asleep. He was laying mostly on his back, but leaning on his side toward her. His left arm next to his aisle was bent and laid back above his head. His right arm, which was closest to her was bent gently over his stomach. He looked peaceful, beautiful, strong, and his breathing was slow and steady. She smiled as she watched him. It felt like such an intimate moment to be able to watch him as he was resting and quiet. His energy and intensity were such a big part of him, and who he was when he was awake. His body at rest was equally endearing, possibly more so, and she realized that she was falling very quickly for Sidney Parker.

She had already been feeling it. She realized a few days ago after their date, that their trip to the track in his car must have been the point at which her restraint and reserve had been breached. It was only the following morning that those pictures had been plastered in the tabloids. Thinking back over the events of the past two weeks, it all felt like it been so much longer than two weeks. More like two months. She had been feeling the attraction to him before that fateful morning. Undeniably, from the very first day. His apology for his behavior toward her, his manners, how he interacted with his family and friends once he had relaxed, his enigmatic smile… Even his boorish behavior when they met that day could not cover up that fact. Almost as if it were inevitable and completely out of her control. She did not like being out of control. She did not like to relinquish it.

She enjoyed the moments while he was sleeping. It was something she was hoping she would be able to do again soon. She didn’t want to wake him, but she also wanted the loo before they had to put the beds up in order to buckle in for the landing. She managed to quietly get herself up, retract the divider to the aisle, grab her small toiletry bag, slip on her shoes and move to the front of the plane and the business class bathrooms. They were both occupied, so she waited. She turned and saw Tom still sleeping, or at least where his feet were. But she didn’t recognize who was where other than seeing Clara in the seat she went to last night. Night? Evening? Morning? She wasn’t sure anymore. She smoothed her hair suddenly remembering that she had just woken up, when the door to the bathroom behind her opened. Turning, she saw James, and all the conversations from Friday and Saturday came rushing back. She managed a shy grin. “Morning,” she whispered.

He responded in kind with his sweet white smile, but his eyes weren’t showing it. “Morning. Did you sleep well?” His voice cracked a little, because he had seen who she was sitting with, and how close those particular seats were. He was sure that he was the only one on the plane who had been bothered by it, and he knew the reason why.

She nodded, “yes, Diana gave uh…me something to sleep. It worked _very_ well!” She said, trying to make a joke out of it, and lighten the situation. It was bad enough that she almost said “us” before she corrected it to “me.” It was far too soon after waking to be able to keep everything straight, and she wished she didn’t have to. James was her friend. That’s what her mother said, keep treating him as her friend. He _was_ her friend, and she hoped he would let her continue to be so. Fortunately, he smiled a little bigger.

“I might ask for her advice the next time we fly at these odd hours, then. I had something but it took awhile to work. Either that, or my _nerves_ were keeping me up,” he added anxiously. He tried not to stare, but he couldn’t believe how beautiful she was after just waking up. It was hard for him to look away.

“Yes, of course,” she said. “I think I’m feeling a bit that way. I’m sure it’s not _quite_ the same, though.” His Formula One debut could make or break his reputation right away. One small mistake, literally millimeters of a mistake, could damage his car, another driver’s car, the team’s chances, or even result in injury to himself or someone else. There is no such thing as a "blunder" in Formula 1. Any mistake could have serious consequences. Plus, the repercussions would be instantaneous. People would set their opinions of him. Blogs, podcasts, and articles would be bashing him and how he was handling the big leap. So much was hinging on how well he was able to focus and perform. The pressure must be astronomical, she thought. She added a small smile of solidarity.

He let out a small sigh of relief. Grateful that she understood, even if she didn’t know of his feelings for her. He _hoped_ she didn’t, now that she was most certainly with Sidney. Their seats on the plane confirmed it to him. He was glad that he had chosen a seat toward the back of business class that was also facing the opposite direction. In truth, his thoughts of her, and with him, had been one of the reasons he couldn’t sleep. He was going to have to find a way to get past this, he thought. “Well, I should get back to my seat,” he grinned and looked down as he let her move around him toward the restroom door. “We still have a long way to go,” he added.

She rolled her eyes up just a little. “Indeed!” She smiled, and turned to go inside the door. Once she had closed and latched it behind her, she finally let out a long breath. She took her time to get cleaned and freshened up, before she returned to the main cabin. Some of the beds had been returned to seats, including her own, when she made it up the aisle.

“There you are,” Sidney spoke softly as others around them were still waking up. He smiled and leaned in for a morning kiss when she sat down. His seat was also converted back to normal, and he looked at her blissfully. “Aren’t you _lovely_ in the morning,” He smiled and leaned in again for another slow and sweet kiss, cupping his hand under her cheek. She blushed a bright red at the compliment, and he almost laughed at her reaction simply because it was so sweet, and she seemed to be completely unaware of how beautiful she was. Charlotte was now eternally grateful to Clara and her “morning mints. If Sidney had any morning breath, she didn’t notice it. Just his gentle hand touching her face, his soft lips on hers, and his warm eyes that were so very happy to see her.

“I could wake up like this all the time,” he whispered and he gently nudged his nose against hers. He kissed her much more intensely for just a moment, but the announcement for landing was made over the speakers, and they remembered where they were.

Soon they had landed in Abu Dhabi. The jet bridge had been attached, and they were given time to stretch their legs while the plane refueled and the crew replaced for the next, and much longer, leg of the journey. Charlotte was happy to have been able to move around. They would have breakfast as soon as the re-boarded the plane, so she and Sidney were using this time to talk and look out the expansive windows of the airport toward the modern city skyline in the distance. He was telling her about the race that would be their last of the season in the city’s street circuit. Another night race, on real city streets, surrounded by temporary walls, concrete barriers, fencing, short run-off areas, banks of lights lining both sides of the "track," and the heat of the desert even at night. She reached for his hand, but he pulled his away and looked around over their shoulders.

Charlotte thought she had done something to upset him. “Sorry, I…I” She was really confused, after all he had just been kissing her on the plane.

“No, don’t be sorry,” He was looking at her with his eyes worried. “No, it’s just… we are in the UAE. Any type of public displays are considered inappropriate. I don’t think they would put us in _jail_ , but it is highly _frowned_ upon.” Her eyes widened at that comment. He hesitated for a moment, “especially since we are not married,” he added quietly, but gave her a small grin.

“So silly of me!” She whispered. She bit her bottom lip and let her eyes roam around the waiting area they were standing in. “I just didn’t think.” She was shaking her head. Embarrassed that she did not remember that herself.

“They are less strict than some other countries, but it’s nothing like the freedoms that we are used to.” He added. He watched as she was again biting her lower lip. “However… If your teeth keep tugging on that lip of yours, we just might get thrown in the clink, Dr. Heywood.” His eyes had shifted from concern to something that suddenly made her heart race. She very slowly released her lip, but found she was having trouble catching her breath as she kept looking up at him. They were standing, facing each other, not touching as tradition demanded, but it felt to her like her body was on fire from the inside out. Their electric field had grown to where they did not need to be touching one another.

Without breaking his gaze, she softly uttered, “We should get back to the plane.” He nodded, and they slowly walked back to the jet, and separated down their respective aisles to their seats. As the plane was still not ready for takeoff, they were given their breakfast, which Charlotte thought was for the best. They clearly could not be trusted by themselves and needed distractions and activities to fill their time together.

While they still waited, Sidney decided to check in with the other Parkers. Diana seemed to be managing Tom well. He had some work to do, and she also had some movies for him to watch, and some articles and magazines pulled up on his tablet. Sidney thought that she sounded like she was traveling with Jenny and not with Tom. Finding ways to keep him busy and out of trouble. Arthur had been checking some logistics with the engineers and mechanics on the flight. Most of them were there. Only the rigging crew had gone on ahead. They only brought a team of about 70-80 people. Some of the larger teams brought well over 100, so all their best problem solvers were there. The pit crew, and the quickest and most experienced mechanics were always on that list. William and Daniel from Heywood Racing were there. Jon who was a whiz with data was staying in Sanditon on the support team. They kept the best engineering analysts back in Sanditon to work the race information remotely. Often, the choice was made by the employee’s preference. But a quick-witted, on site, race-week team had been hand picked by Arthur.

He had also summoned Charlotte, Michael and Babington to join him as they moved to the back of the plane where the rest of the crew was spread out with at least a row for each person. They went over the schedule. Tuesday morning, all hands on deck as the garage would be released to them early. As a rule, no team could access their team garage areas until all ten teams had received their equipment and the sites had been completely set up and reviewed for safety. This also prevented any one of the teams from getting a “head-start.” Immediately, all supplies and parts would be checked for any problems or breakage, and then the car-build would begin on both sides of the garage. The mechanics knew which “team” or driver-team they were on. They had all worked together well during testing, and any other things they had worked on in the factory had gone smoothly. Settings would still be discussed among the engineers while they were traveling today, then it would be given to the team of mechanics on Tuesday, once they were onsite.

Charlotte knew how different this would be to F3, but she was not quite aware of the separation and secrecy there could be between driver teams. They worked together on some aspects of the car set up, but the variables were in the thousands of what they could adjust for the individual driver. Even just with the adjustments the drivers could make with the functions on their steering wheels. Her stomach started to seize a little as the expectations were becoming a reality. She listened as Arthur held the attention of the group, explained the protocols, he told a few jokes to keep everything relaxed, answered questions, and made sure that everyone was prepared. He seemed to be so experienced for his young 25 years. She supposed it had to do with growing up in the business, and understanding all the moving parts since he was a child. He was a natural. She had seen how good he was at work, but now that they were getting to the real crunch of it, he continued to get better and better. She hoped his steadiness would remain that way through the whole week.

She was finally making her way back to her seat right before their lunch was going to be served. Sidney and Diana were talking and working together in the less crowded aisles of the economy section. She had seen the two of them going over some of his exercises to keep his muscles from getting tight from sitting so long. It wasn't until Arthur had finished that she was able to see more of what they had been doing. Diana was very succinct in her instructions, but Sidney understood everything she told him, like it was a type of shorthand. Almost a code that only the two understood. It was clear they had been doing this for a very long time.

It was hard not to watch, and she moved slowly while speaking with the team so that she could observe their interactions. Sidney had changed to his gym shorts and his T-shirt was fitted, showing off the cut of his biceps, and the muscles of his back showed as he went through the different movements, especially with the resistance bands. At one point he had lifted his shirt from the bottom hem to wipe his face. She had never seen him in anything other than pants and long sleeves. The glimpse of his lean and defined stomach, and the lower part of his chest, no matter how brief, was now seared into her memory. The cut of his abs as his stomach curved under as he lifted his shirt, and displayed all of his arduous work to keep his core engaged. His shorts were resting low on his hips, and she had seen the hint of the muscles that created a ridge over the peaks of his pelvis. She decided she needed to head back to her seat after that. She kept her head down and found her seat, quickly opening her tote to place some files and her laptop on the desk. As she tried to work, she didn’t realize that she had actually been fanning herself slowly with the folder that had just been laying on the small desk. She dropped it on her lap as soon as she realized what she was doing. She kept her head down and re-focused on her screen. Answering emails, especially to her family. That's what was needed right now.

***

Sidney set his knee on his seat, and his hands braced on the divider between their seats so that he could lean over Charlotte. She startled a little since she had thoroughly worked on distracting herself. With his wide smile he was looking down at her. He was practically hovering over her, but she quickly recovered. She recovered from the surprise, except now she was again awe struck with his muscles defined by the tight dri-fit shirt he was wearing. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her, she wondered. Thankfully he sat back down in his seat, still smiling, and a little short of breath from the work out.

“I think it’s almost time for lunch,” he said, clearly in a very good mood.

“Oh, yes, I almost forgot,” she said. She was still trying to ignore the striking view on her left.

His eyes questioned her for a moment. “Are you OK?” He asked.

He really has no idea, she thought. “Oh, yes, fine. Just thinking about being ready for everything.” She said, covering for her awkwardness. “You look very happy,” she added.

He grinned, he reached over and grabbed her hand. He pulled it up to his lips kissing her knuckles. “I am happy,” he said.

If there was some way that she could simply turn off her natural blushing reflex, she would. She was completely powerless when faced with his charm offensive, and all he did was smile at her, and kiss her hand! It was hopeless, she was helpless when she was around him. Completely gone. She tried to recover by shaking her head, and averting her eyes while she smiled gently.

“Are you making fun of me, Dr. Heywood? Dismissing me?” He teased, as his eyes narrowed a little at her reaction to look away from him.

“Certainly not, Mr. Parker” she said quietly. OK, maybe now she was teasing him, but at least she fluttered her eyes at him a little to make up for it.

“Mhmm…” He drew his head back a little as he examined her wide-eyed face. He slowly curled the left side of his mouth up and the temperature around them changed. “I think maybe you are… just in a different way than I first thought.” He pondered with his deepening voice. The blush she had so desperately tried to hide seemed to be making a permanent home across her chest and her throat. Her cheeks already felt like they were on fire.

It took her watching his darkening stare for a moment, before she could speak. First, swallowing and clearing her throat, she said with whatever voice she could muster, “I hardly think _I’m_ the one who is teasing, Mr. Parker.” She held his gaze, and suddenly they were leaned up against the cold marble of his kitchen island again. That night, she had been ready, and he was holding off until things were more serious between them. His face showed his sudden awareness of the situation, and he was now reddening around his cheeks. “I wouldn’t dare to think of teasing you… in _that_ way, Sidney.” Her voice was now low and controlled, a slight rasp from the dry air of the plane cabin, and from her own shallow breathing.

He was caught, his mouth slightly open, and his eyes open and watching her. He cleared his own throat, and kept looking at her. This brilliant, beautiful creature who was allowing him into her life. Trusting him, and he blinked to keep his eyes focused. Suddenly he felt dizzy and for the first time, in a long time, he could not think of anything to say in return.

He was rescued by Diana. “Sidney, here’s your drink,” and she handed him one of his water bottles and he managed to give her a small grin. “I say, Charlotte, you look quite flushed! Are you feeling well?” Sweet Diana saw nothing but symptoms, and tried to account for them through one’s own personal health, and not through emotions.

“I think I’m fine. Maybe I’m simply ready for lunch,” she answered brightly, trying to find a way to calm the pounding of her pulse through her ears. She took a deep breath to release some of the building heat, and it seemed to help. She looked over at Sidney who was looking straight ahead and sipping quietly on the flexible straw. Where they were, was suddenly upon her again. She always seemed to forget where she was when she was with Sidney. He was a tractor-beam that pulled her in and she was unable to escape it, even when surrounded by reality. They were going to have to spend some time alone together soon, or she felt like she would go mad.

***

Sidney was using the small shower in the larger of the business class bathrooms as soon as he had finished his lunch. He washed, and then turned the faucet fully on the cold water. After spending last night and all day with Charlotte. The look she had given him before Diana interrupted them had rendered him speechless. Whatever hold she had on him was not like anything he had known before. Enigmatic, almost hypnotic when she looked at him that way. He was powerless to resist her anymore, and he knew it. She was the one in control. All his other "relationships" had been under his terms, at least since Eliza. He leaned his head into the cold water and let it cover him. slowing his breathing.

He was used to the cold, he used cryotherapy when he could, and ice-water baths in the back of the garage to recover from hot races. A cold shower was not out of the ordinary. Good for the muscles for recovery, good for inflammation, and also usually good for raging desire and lust. This was more than that. He had always known it, but the shift was coming sooner than later. He took another deep breath. It was time for him to risk everything. His heart, his mind, his soul. He had not exactly sworn it out of his life for good, but he still felt blind-sided. Each new level of understanding with Charlotte was another step up the ladder. Each step made the fall that much higher. The possibility of pain that much deeper. He wanted this, he wanted her, she wanted him, that was certain. It was now or never.

He finally shut off the water, and stepped out of the shower. He took the small towel and wrapped it on his waist, then rubbed the mirror to remove the steam. Looking at himself he thought of what could happen. What had happened the last time he was here, and how different **all** of it was this time. He finally indulged himself, after 7 long years. What did he want... _really_ want?

He knew already. He wanted, a family, a wife or partner, a life to share with someone else. To find a way to be happy like his parents had been. He looked down at the sink and ran his hands through his soaking hair, wringing the water from it until it ran down the center of his back until the towel at his waist caught it. He looked back at his reflection. Determined. He was a racing driver. Nothing scared him, certainly not winning or success, and that’s what he wanted. He wanted what his parents had. He wanted it with Charlotte, and just as with everything else in his life, he would work hard, he would not give up or give in to his fears, and would do whatever he had to in order to get that. He stood straight looking at himself, nodding his head. "All in," he told himself, "All in..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to take a look at Etihad Business Class, here is the link to their "user experience" to see how it is laid out. But your own imagination might be better than the real thing. 
> 
> https://resources.etihad.com/etihad/seatmap/ux.html


	30. Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment we've all been waiting for. Remember, this is rated M. Not T, or E. Hopefully it will be enough, but also not too much.  
> There was some confusion with the last update. Since all of this is new to me, I had loaded the chapter in preview mode and worked on it on the site. It was a couple days before I actually published it, so on AO3, it is showing as updated on NOV. 12, when it was actually published 3 days later. Make sure you didn't miss it before reading this one. Also, thank you to Panstick, who gave the advice I needed to hear. 😘
> 
> Thank you again for reading! xoxo ❤️

***

Here

Clara had warned Charlotte that a day in Melbourne in the Fall or the Spring, could feel like going through all four seasons in a 24-hour period. She’d had a chance to change and put on something that looked less like pajamas, when she found out that the landing time in Melbourne should be met with good, yet still chilly weather. Sidney had emerged from his shower in very dark blue dress trousers, and a matching hued button up shirt. She had no idea how he had pulled that from his leather duffel bag, and made a note to ask him what kind of packing witchcraft he had used to keep his clothes looking so fresh. His hair was still damp, and his top 2 buttons were open showing a hint of his tanned collarbones.

She couldn’t wait to get to the hotel and have a real shower. Her jeans and sweater were an improvement, but Sidney looked like he knew he was going to be met with a press corps, and dinner at a Michelin 3-star restaurant when they landed. Thinking that there could be press photographers there, she returned to the bathroom to add a little makeup and do something to freshen her curls a little better. She was thankful that she had at least chosen a black cashmere sweater, just because it looked a little dressier with her dark jeans and low black suede booties. She still felt like a college student compared to Sidney’s polished style. She let out a sigh and decided she was going to have to make-do with what she had with her.

Sidney was still in his seat when she returned, and Tom was leaning on the wall of Sidney’s “pod” talking to him. He nodded and smiled at Charlotte as she sat down. “How was the flight, Charlotte?” He seemed to be much more relaxed than he had been in his own home the day before.

“Good,” she answered. “Long, but we got some work done, and managed to sleep well last night, thanks to Diana.” She smiled, but didn’t offer any more information.

“Well, you should be sleeping well in Melbourne. We are very lucky to have a sponsorship agreement with Hyatt, so we stay in their hotels and affiliates when we travel. Very comfortable, and this one is quite nice.” Tom was feeling chatty today, almost like the first day Charlotte had met him. “They have two in downtown Melbourne, the crew and the rest of the team stay at one, but upper management, drivers and lead engineers, stay at a different Hyatt. It’s fortunate, because it’s also where the reception is being held that I told you about, for Thursday evening.” Charlotte was nodding, thinking about the itinerary in her folder. “ _And_ they also have an excellent pool that’s long enough for swimming laps, for our driver here!” And he gave a hearty slap onto Sidney’s shoulder.

“Oh, I didn’t realize. Though I doubt I’ll have time to do much swimming,” she said mostly to herself. Charlotte thought that a chance to swim laps might have helped with her stress, but she had not packed the necessary items. Sidney looked at her with a questioning brow, he knew that she liked to swim, she had talked about it on their date. She answered his unspoken question after seeing his expression. “I didn’t pack a suit or goggles, and whatnot,” she explained to him, quietly.

“This is Australia Charlotte…. The original home of Speedo… _and_ numerous Olympic swimming medals?” He gave her a look of amusement.

She chuckled at his comment. “Of course, I wasn’t thinking. Do you think it will take much time to find something?”

Tom answered that question. “Definitely not! We will ask the concierge desk to help. I’m sure they can arrange what you need.”

Tom was smiling now. Relaxed, helpful, and seemed to suddenly approve of the budding relationship in front of him. She hadn’t been exactly sure how he had been taking it. Or in fact, if Sidney had even discussed it with him. Whatever was the cause for the change, she was happy to see it, and hoped she would finally be able to get to know him better. If this whole business arrangement was going to work, she needed to be on good terms with the Team Principal. Indeed, if her relationship with Sidney continued progressing, they could end up being even closer than business associates. She wondered if she had done anything to turn him off, or if he was doubting her abilities. That was a black hole of questions she did not want to enter right now, and set it aside.

“In fact, Charlotte, I’ll have the travel team look into it for you.” He took out his phone and started typing an email as he walked away. Charlotte’s eyes grew wide, and she straightened up as he turned to leave.

“He seems changed somehow,” Charlotte said quietly to Sidney, but her eyes were still following Tom.

“Hmm. Yes, he has not really been himself lately. Something seems to be causing him stress. We are trying to understand what is going on with him. Hopefully it’s the usual nerves that come with the job.” Sidney was trying to downplay his own concerns. He did not want Charlotte to think that the company was in trouble somehow. Their accounting department would have alerted him, Arthur and Diana if there were pressing financial concerns, so it must be something else, he thought.

“True. I think we are all feeling those nerves right now.” She gave a sympathetic grin.

Announcements for landing were made, and all their loose items were put away. Suddenly butterflies hit Charlotte’s stomach. It was here. Their first race week. Her first competitive week in her position, with more responsibility than any other 23-year-old had ever had in Formula 1, without being behind the wheel of one of the cars. She closed her eyes and said a quick prayer for guidance. Sidney held her hand. He must have thought she was nervous about landing. When really, she was nervous about everything that would come after that.

Their luggage was brought out to them, and they headed out to where they would be picked up from the private, and chartered plane concourse. The mechanics and engineers that were staying at the second Hyatt hotel had a large bus sent for them, and were loaded straight away and whisked off to their home for the week. The Parkers, James, the Heywoods, Fred, Babers and Crowe, a few more of the more senior engineers, including William and Daniel, and Clara waited for chauffeured cars and vans. They would have drivers ready for them whenever they needed to go somewhere, who were familiar with the city. They also worked for a security company, so they would also provide guards for protection. Mainly for the team’s two main drivers, Charlotte, and Tom. Charlotte noticed some photographers who were waiting for all the different team planes and F1 and FIA officials to arrive, standing on the sidewalk opposite where they were waiting. She turned her back to them, and stepped a little further away from Sidney.

He noticed how she moved away, and then looked up seeing the long lenses pointed in their direction across the wide one-way street. “They don’t waste any time do they.” He kept his eyes pointed away from her, not giving them a good shot. “Don’t worry. They’re much more interested in Mercedes or Ferrari or Red Bull. We get more interest at home than we do when we travel abroad. Plus, we aren’t the team with the Australian driver.” He added with a half grin and a hidden wink the photographers would not be able to see.

As her back was turned to the men across the street, she let herself relax and smile back, until she noticed James had been watching their interaction. As she looked at him, she offered him a different smile than the ones she gave to Sidney. James nodded with a grin, and looked away. She took a deep breath, as she was starting to get impatient about the few minutes they had been waiting. The black SUVs and vans arrived. Two people in black suits exited each of the 6 vehicles, and started sorting people and luggage into the cars. Sidney grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the same black SUV that he was entering, then shut the door behind them. There was plenty of space for the others in the 5 remaining cars. Plus, no one really wanted to ride in the same car as them anyway. They were finally on their way.

They introduced themselves to the driver and security detail as they drove away, and then focused solely on each other the rest of the 22 km ride. Sidney gently touched her cheek and kissed her for the first time since last night. Once everyone had been awake, and with how busy they had both been on the plane today, this had been the first chance they had gotten to essentially be “alone.” Sidney felt a little guilty, and apologized to the driver and security agent up front. They laughed it off. According to them, they had seen much worse than that. Charlotte blushed just thinking that people would be so intimate with someone around. But then again, she had seen some things at her 3 universities that could have fallen into that category.

Sidney had his sleeves rolled up, exposing his defined forearms, and Charlotte could not help but to gently stroke his skin over the taut muscles. “You know, it is extremely unfair of you to look this good after getting off a 24-hour plane ride.” Her eyes teased, but she also gave him a sour look. It was only because it really _was_ unfair. He could not be a mere mortal like the rest of us humans, she thought. He laughed with his head back after she said this.

“I’ve had a lot of practice over the years.” He said still laughing, until he leaned forward and pressed his full lips against hers, expressing the passion he was feeling for her. Cupping her face, and allowing his lips to speak for him in a different way. They stayed in this coupling for quite some time, enjoying the chance to hold each other, until they got closer to the city center. He leaned his forehead against hers. “It might also be that I was hoping to impress my new girlfriend,” he whispered quietly.

“Hmmm… I believe in that respect, you succeeded.” She whispered warmly as she nudged her nose against his own strong straight nose. It was an attractive trait. She exhaled, finally feeling at peace after a very long day, which had been after a very long weekend. It was now Monday evening in Melbourne. Tomorrow they would hit the ground running working on the cars, Sidney would be working with Diana, and then checking on how the car builds were going, and nothing would slow down from that point on, she thought. “Sidney…” She hesitated, and felt the blood rushing to the top of her skin once again. She was sure that she might develop what looked like a permanent sunburn from how she was always reacting to him.

“Yes, Charlotte.” Sidney whispered in her ear, as he was now kissing the hollow of her cheek, and moving toward her ear. Before she could get her thoughts in order, he had moved his tender kisses to her slender neck, where her breath seemed to leave her body entirely. She pulled him closer and wrapped her arm around his head, running circles with her fingertips through his hair. A quiet moan barely escaped her lips as he worked his way toward her collarbone, he ran his fingers gently underneath it as his lips followed where his fingers traced.

He was relishing this quiet moment of exploration with her, even if they weren’t entirely alone. He hated to put her in any type of compromising position, but he would not let himself go that far. She was his, and his alone, as far as he was concerned. He finally pulled away. “What is it my Darling,” he whispered again as he kissed her other ear. She felt the electricity again as it ran alongside her spine from the point where his lips were touching her skin. His words, in combination with his lips, and sensations they both left behind had also left her mind blank.

She giggled quietly just for him. “I can’t seem to remember right now…” She knew it was something about spending time with him tonight, but his actions seemed to be answering her in the way she was hoping. He pulled back smiling at the sweet sound of her tiny laugh. He placed his thumb in the dimple on her chin, as he gripped it gently, pulling her lips to his again. 

They soon arrived at the tall grand building. It was white, and it looked like stone or stucco, she couldn’t tell, but even though it was traditional in its design, it was a thoroughly modern building. Sidney helped her out of the car, and they were met with their family and colleagues under the wide porte-cochere. Luggage was separated with their owners, and the concierge was suddenly with them helping to get them settled. Sidney squeezed the back of her upper arm, and excused himself to speak with the concierge. She could not hear what they were saying, but the hotelier was nodding, smiling, and taking some quick notes on his tablet. Suddenly, what must have been one of his staff approached him, he relayed information, and the young worker moved quickly in her black heels to attend to his instructions.

Sidney turned back toward Charlotte, still grinning as he looked at her. She was wearing a line between her brows as she was questioning his discreet conversation with the concierge. A bellhop with an ornate brass cart, quickly loaded hers and Sidney’s luggage with a nod of his head, and left as soon as he had appeared. She looked back at Sidney with a slight frown. She did not enjoy not knowing what was going on around.

“What are you planning?” She asked when he finally moved closer to her.

“A surprise, well… actually, a couple surprises.” He said with a grin. He was watching her quizzical look, and his face straightened. “I hope you don’t mind?” He asked quickly. “We can always make changes if you’re not happy.” He then added quickly.

She shrugged. “I suppose we won’t know until I find out what they are.” She added cryptically.

“Well, the biggest will be the first, so, you can tell me if you are OK with it.” He said more seriously. He really was not used to being in a relationship, definitely not a new relationship, nor with a woman who was as independent and intelligent as Charlotte. She might not like the typical “surprises” that other women would. Most everyone had already entered the lobby and received their room cards. He took her hand, and pulled her toward the doorman who opened the door as they approached.

The lobby was modern, but still had a traditional sweeping marble staircase with gleaming chrome finished banisters, that curved around a mezzanine above. There was elegant wood paneling lining the walls, and circular cut marble patterns interlocking underfoot. It was definitely not England, she thought. She looked up and the polished chrome balusters and railings that were reflecting the light. She was still holding Sidney’s hand when the concierge returned. He was a smiling jubilant man. When he spoke, Charlotte noticed his charming accent, and he expressed how happy he was to meet her, especially once he had heard of her unique position on the team. The Parkers had stayed there every year since they had made the Hyatt deal, and apparently, as a racing fan, it was a highlight of his year. He handed them their key cards, and gave instructions on how to reach their rooms. Then he gave a small wink to Sidney, which Charlotte was sure that she was not supposed to see.

“Come,” Sidney said. Let’s get you settled, and then we can make some plans, he added smiling. They walked toward their elevator. He used his key card to activate the elevator panel, and the doors slid open. Charlotte was watching him as he looked up at the floor numbers above the doors of the elevator, until it dinged and they finally opened. They were on the 7th floor, and the doors to the rooms were very far apart. He turned to his left, and found the right room, placing his card on the card reader, and opened the door. “Now, if you’re not happy with this, we can make a change.” He looked at her biting part of his bottom lip.

She looked at the room as they entered. It was actually a short hallway of what looked something like burled walnut or maple lining the walls, or maybe something unique to Australia she thought. She walked in and saw that it was a suite. A table for 4 was in front of her as she entered the room. On the right was a lounge area with a sofa, and two stuffed chairs in front of an already lit gas-fireplace. There were tall windows on the left, a powder room on the right, and the door to a bedroom, next to the fireplace was open, showing the bright white linens on the bed. Before she could ask about the bedroom situation, he moved to a door that was hidden in the paneling near to the dining space, and opened it.

An additional bedroom was attached. He looked nervous, and swallowed despite his mouth being dry. She was looking around, it was certainly one of the nicest, and definitely the largest, hotel room she had ever been in. Finally, he asked, “What do you think? Would you want to share this suite with me?... I know our schedules this week are different, and you will certainly want your own space, which is why I thought a suite with two rooms would work, and then there is the living space, which makes the stay much more comfortable. It’s not one of the largest ones. They have some with kitchenettes, but their catering here is very good, and Diana works with their nutritionist to help arrange what I eat when I’m here, so I don’t need a kitchen.” He stopped to catch his breath from his rambling.

It was more than she had considered, mostly because she didn’t think he would want to share his own space, and also because she had not really traveled at this level of comfort before. He jumped in again. “You also have a separate entrance,” and handed her the second set of key cards. “And you can load the keys on an app on your phone, so you can have the key to your room, plus the one to the suite. That is, if you want that room, or just this room…” She walked over to him, and laid her hand on his chest to stop his panic driven speech. She looked up at him, smiling softly.

“Is this what _you_ want, Sidney? Or is it what you think _I_ want?” Her eyes were soft and patient, which allowed him to release the breath he was holding.

“I _hope_ … that it’s what we both want, Charlotte,” he said quietly in a whisper as he let his head drop a little, with a sigh. He was not accustomed to trying to please someone else, trying to read what they wanted, and trying to find a way through a situation like this. She lifted her hand to his chin, and gently with her fingertips, she moved his head up to look at her.

“It is what I want Sidney.” She said softly. He looked at her as she answered, his eyes searching her sweet face. Her deep brown eyes were wide and watching him. A small smile, just enough to activate the dimples in her cheeks had let him relax. His eyes softened and he let her draw his face to hers with her hand. His hands were now on her arms, and he dipped his head until her lips were on his. Softly, gently, and for the first time since their date on Thursday, they were alone.

Sidney wasn’t sure how long they had stood there in each other’s embrace, finally allowing their emotions and desire to come to the surface. Their hands touching and exploring each other, their lips following their hands, but always returning to the other’s lips before too long. It had been such a miserably long weekend with her away in Willingden, then the lunch, plus the plane trip. It felt like it had taken over a week to get to this point, to finally have her to himself. He felt his heart growing heavier and lighter at the same time. He was letting emotions run through him that he had refused and blocked rather easily, until now. They seemed out of control, and he really didn’t care if they were. The only thing his mind and body were focused on was Charlotte.

They finally pulled away to catch their breaths. As much as Charlotte wanted to continue their private time, she also wanted a shower and a change of clothes. Licking her lips, trying to keep the feeling of him with her longer, and also trying to recover her heart rate, she spoke. “I suppose we need to get some dinner before it’s too late, and I hate to say it, but I really want a shower.” Sidney’s eyebrows raised a little, perhaps in hope, but more at the thought of her in the shower. That was hardly where he wanted their first time to be, he thought.

“Yes, of course,” he said, as he moved back to give her more space. “Our luggage…Ah! It’s in here,” he said as he moved to the first bedroom in the suite. “Which room would you like?” He asked. They were both equally nice. She looked at the additional bedroom which was a deluxe king room, and signaled that she would take that one. This way, if they needed privacy, he could still have the suite, which she imagined Diana would also use with him for some of their workouts. He turned to get her two cases, her duffel, and even reached for her tote that she had set down when they came in, but she laughed.

“Seriously, Sidney. I think I can carry at least _one_ item.” Teasing him as she reached the tote before he did. He smiled in return.

“Can’t blame a bloke for trying,” he added with a wink, feeling freer to flirt with the privacy they now had. He carried her silver suitcases into her room and set the largest one up on the luggage stand. “I’ll let you get settled and then meet me out here for dinner?” He asked hopefully. She grinned widely, walking over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He took the opportunity to place his lips on hers once again, kissing her and welcoming her affection that she seemed to be able to share so easily. He pulled back again to get his breath, and nodded his head. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” He added smiling.

“Yes,” she repeated. “I’ll try and hurry,” she added as she ushered him out of the room and gently closed the door behind him. She couldn’t see him now through that door, but he was equally ecstatic and nervous. He picked up the hotel phone and called down to the concierge to make some arrangements.

Charlotte quickly unpacked some of her items, hanging them in the large closet, putting things in the drawers, and setting things up in the expansive bathroom. It looked like a Greek temple with floor to ceiling Carrara marble, a separate tub and shower, two sinks, and more space than she’d had in her dorm room at MIT. She turned on the shower and let it heat up before she walked in, letting the hot water rinse the plane trip from her hair and skin before she took her time to get clean and relaxed. Once finished, she combed her hair while it was still soaking, dried the curls scrunching them gently with a towel, and walked to her closet.

She had already chosen a delicate lace underwear set that she had laid on the bed. Already knowing what Sidney was wearing, she chose a shorter black dress. It was a luxurious stretchy fabric. The scoop neckline and cap sleeves enhanced her figure, and the waist of the dress nipped in to meet her own curves, then flared slightly over her hips. She had brought several pairs of dress shoes. The ones Sidney had already seen, and a shorter heeled, delicate black sandal that had a strap over her toes and another strap around her ankle. They were easier to wear than the 5-inch heels, and thought they would probably be perfect with the dress she was wearing. She finished her hair, added some makeup after her skincare, and stepped back to look in the long mirror on the door of the bathroom. The butterflies were back, and she took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. She was pretty sure that Sidney was nervous too, otherwise he would not have rambled on about the room as he did earlier. She gripped her hands into tight fists, to try and stop her palms from sweating, closing her eyes and doing some of her deep breathing as she did. “You’re nervous now, but you won’t be later,” she spoke out loud to her herself. She opened her eyes again at the woman standing in the mirror in front of her. She exhaled deeply again, surprised at how pleased she was with how she looked. “Hopefully Sidney will think so too,” she spoke to herself again. She tidied some things in her room, and finally opened the door to the suite.

Sidney had made some calls, checked in with Arthur and Diana, they had been keeping track of Tom. The team had been set up to have two floors at the hotel, so that they had privacy, and also that press or fans would not have access to the floors they were staying on. Hyatt had always done a great job to help them during these race weeks to make things run as smoothly as possible. He had heard when the water stopped running in Charlotte’s shower, and realized he needed to spend some time in his own room to wait. If stayed here, he would start pacing, and if he started pacing, then he would only get more anxious. Unpack. That’s what he could do. He turned to empty his own bags, hang things up, organize his belongings, and hopefully stop paying attention to the clock.

He finally heard her door open. He always moved quickly, so when he rushed to his own open door, it wasn’t out of character. However, allowing himself to look like he was anxious, waiting, and maybe a little desperate, definitely was. He stopped himself, took a deep breath before walking slowly through his door to see her. A simple little black dress did exactly what it was supposed to do. It was enough of a distraction to flatter many of her attributes, without overpowering the stunning young woman inside of it. He could never get tired of this, of seeing her. She seemed a little nervous as her hands were in front of her, gripping her small clutch bag. He could not hold back his sideways grin as he kept walking towards her. She smiled in return as he got closer.

“You are absolutely beautiful…” his face became more serious as he looked into her eyes at her natural beauty. He reached for her bare arm and ran his hand down her golden skin to clasp her hand. Picking it up to kiss her knuckles. “You are… the most exquisite woman I have ever know, Charlotte Heywood.” He spoke quietly.

Her eyes fluttered from the intensity of his stare, and the sincerity of his words. The damned blushing returned with a vengeance, and she was sure that she would never be able to get her heartrate under control.

“I’m beginning to rethink my plans for us this evening. I wanted to take you to a restaurant nearby, but now I’m thinking I should have chosen room service.” He had whispered as he leaned in to kiss her cheek near her ear. He pulled back to see her biting the corner of her bottom lip with her eyes closed, and his heart leapt in his chest. He cradled her cheek with his hand and brushed her lips with his.

She looked up, her wide brown eyes smiling at him. Her eyes moved as she watched her right palm slide upward on his chest, drawing it slowly to his collar. She played with the finely woven fabric between her fingertips. She took a long breath, and after she exhaled, she finally spoke softly. “I suppose,” she flicked her long black lashes up, her eyes meeting his, “the plans will depend… on what you’re most hungry for.”

His mouth fell open slightly, as his eyes searched hers for just a moment before he let go of his highly disciplined self-control. His right arm was around her with his hand against her back, so that her chest was now pressed on his. His left hand holding her cheek up to meet her mouth with his. He didn’t even pay attention to where her own hands were. All he could feel was her body against his, in the privacy of their own room, his desire for her untethered. Finally. He was exploring her pink plump lips desperately, and to his pleasure, she was increasingly intense in her exploration of his own lips, teeth and tongue.

She was standing taller from the strappy heeled sandals. His hand roamed from her back, down toward the hem of her skirt, and as he touched the skin on the outside of her thigh, her head fell back from the intensity of the sensation. His skin on hers, the buzzing sensation his touch gave her, like a jolt of electricity. She could not help but gasp and whisper his name, as he drew his hand up along her skin, under her skirt to her waist, which practically caused her to lose all ability to breathe. He watched her face before he took claim of the skin of her exposed slender neck with his mouth. Her hands were behind his head, with her arms on his shoulders, holding on to him for balance. Wherever he touched her felt numb but electrified at the same time. She had dropped the clutch at some point, and finally put both hands on his temples, threading her fingers through his hair, pulling him up to kiss him as if it was the only way she would be able to breathe again. He was closer to her now, with his hand behind her bent knee, pulling her leg up on the outside of his hip. He finally released her leg as they stumbled, still in their embrace, to the door to his room. He gently pulled her to the end of the plush, king-sized bed. The lights were already dim, she had been unbuttoning his dark shirt, and had pulled it out of his pants as they moved. He hadn’t even noticed she was doing it until she was almost finished when they reached his bed. She pulled her head back to look at him. Her delicate fingers lightly tracing the defined planes of his muscles, and where they separated by the dips between them. His head fell back from the heat that her light touch left behind on his skin, and inside his chest.

He reveled in her admiration and exploration of him before he could take the intensity no more. He looked back down at her sweet face. He had felt the zipper on her dress earlier, and reached for the pull at the neckline on the back of her dress. She nodded at his look, smiling, or perhaps smoldering from touching his skin. He leaned to kiss her as she heard the ripping sound of the teeth of the zipper separating slowly, as he drew his hand down until it could go no further. He looked back at her now, as he placed both of his hands on either side of her now open backed dress, letting his fingers touch her skin as he gently drew his hands upward until he pulled her small sleeves from her shoulders. The dress loosened easily, but he followed as the sleeves were freed over her hands, exposing her lacy strapless brassiere that barely contained her, and the golden skin of her slim waist. He knelt down as he looked into her eyes. The dress fell over the curves of her hips with the help of his hands, finally landing in a puddle on the floor. He smiled as he placed his palms on her waist, causing her to hitch her breath. He gently grazed his hands over her skin from her navel down the outside of each leg, eventually to assist one foot, and then the other out of her dress. Then took a moment to admire her new shoes, and raised a mischievous eyebrow in approval to her. He slipped one finger in the back of the strap, and admiringly removed them, one at a time

She could barely keep standing as she felt his hands exploring up to her calves, and again followed each curve and dip from her ankle up to the back of her thighs, finally caressing and gripping the curves around the lace edges of the tiny matching knickers she was wearing. He leaned his head forward against her, and devoured the skin on her stomach as his hands began to explore her soft shape at a more earnest pace. The power of his hands and his arms could no longer be held back. Each grasp stronger, and more possessive than the last.

He had waited so long to touch her like this. To hold her as the woman he wanted to spend his life with. To show her how much he wanted her. Even with the surging hormones in his youth, he had never desired a woman so much as he did right now. He wanted to experience all of her, to see and feel each square centimeter of her body. Only then would he feel as though he had touched her soul, and hopefully her heart as well. The feelings she brought out in him were all-consuming, like a fire. Each touch released a spark on his skin, and in his chest, and the sensations only grew. He did not know it was possible to feel this way about another person. He never had. Everything he though he knew about love was a poor imitation to what he was feeling right now. He did not stop to question the idea of “love” so soon in his thoughts. Thinking it and saying it were two different things. Right now, it was the only word that fit the intensity of his feelings.

Charlotte was equally out of her depth in regards to understanding her feelings. Each split second he was touching her was another charge to her nerve endings, until she was sure she was glowing from the wattage she knew was building up inside her body. It felt like he was at worship, as he reverently approached her. Until his grasp became stronger, pulling her as closely to him as possible. Now it felt as though he wanted their bodies to melt into one another, to find a way to create another being, and the electrical shocks drawing up her spine made it seem like it might actually be possible. She pulled him up and pushed his shirt off his shoulders and down his arms until it fell on top of her dress on the floor. Her hands pressed onto his naked chest, finally drawing gentle circles and figures with her nails on his sharpened deltoids, and across the top of his back and shoulders. Finding his lips again, he moaned in her mouth as her hands roamed down his back toward his waist, still tracing her way around the muscle definition of his body. She looked up at him with a type of desire she had never felt. Another slow and gentle, sumptuous kiss was what she gave to him before she tucked each of her index fingers into the waist of his trousers at his spine. His body shivered, as she gently traced the skin of his slim waist around to the buckle of his belt.

He could no longer contain his reaction to her touch. His head rolled back as his moan grew louder. His mouth open, desperate for air, as she loosened the catch of his belt, undid his trousers, and slowly pushed them down to his ankles. She crouched down on her toes, sitting on her heels, with her knees together on one side as she removed his shoes, and then pulled one leg out and then the other. One silk sock removed, and then the other. She took her own time as she ran her hands up to back of his knees, and up to the hem of his tight black boxer briefs which she thought must also be silk, before she tilted her head back to look up at him.

As she had worked to undress him, he felt like sparks were shooting through his skin everywhere that she touched. Now that she had paused to look up at him, the intensity of anticipation exploded through his body. He was looking down at her. Black lace cups barely covering her breasts, the never-ending curves of her body. Her soft curls laying on her bared shoulders and down her back, her dark eyes shining up at him in the low light of his room. He focused on the rounded golden skin of her chest, peeking out of the black lace, as it was rising and falling from her shallow breaths that curved up into her beautiful long neck. Before she knew what he was doing, he had pulled her up by her arms, and her skin was against his as his eyes searched her face for just a moment before his lips collided with hers. His hands behind her head, laced through her hair and then around her bare waist. Then the unclasping of the small lacy fabric on her back, before that also fell away. Their skin on fire as their bodies touched and refused to pull away from each other. 

They were still standing in their refusal to part, until Charlotte, holding his hand, stepped back and bent her knee, placing it kneeling on top of his bed and followed it with the other one. Far enough away from her now, he watched as she moved. Her full magnificent breasts in the dim light. How long had he wanted to see her like this, touch her like this? From the moment they met, he admitted. She moved back on the bed, her golden skin shining everywhere on her body. She gently pulled him toward her. He looked down at her as his eyes and his smiling mouth softened. “How did I ever end up here with you?” He shook his head in disbelief. He had never seen a woman as innately sexy and uniquely brilliant, as the one right in front of him.

She reached up with both her hands plunging her fingers through his hair to pull him toward her. Her forehead against his now, her eyes closed and she hummed lightly. “Sidney,” she whispered in his ear, her teeth grazing his earlobe. “There are too many reasons to list why you’re here with me now,” she said playfully as she kissed his ear. He moaned and wrapped his arms around her soft frame, and turned quickly to lay down on the bed, bringing her on top of him. It had happened so fast, that she wasn’t sure how he had done it. He pulled her closer in his arms, kissing her ear and her neck as she giggled, and then moaned softly. “See,” she said barely getting the teasing words out in a whisper. “That’s how you ended up with me in your bed tonight,”

He hummed as he nuzzled against her neck. “I didn’t mean in my bed, Charlotte” he said quietly and moved his head back to catch her eyes. “I meant _with_ me,” he said earnestly. “Not here in Melbourne, in our hotel room, or in my bed.” His eyes were searching hers as she looked at him questioningly. He found her right hand and placed it gently on the center of his chest as he looked at her intensely. “Here,” he said. “With me.” She looked up at him and he saw her eyes growing wetter as he had said it, and as the words began to sink in.

“Oh Sidney,” she gasped lightly. Her hand pressed harder into his chest and her eyes continued to search his, unblinking. “There is no place else in this _world,_ I would rather be.”

His boyish smile broke the intensity of the moment. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that, my Darling,” he whispered sweetly through his smiling face.

“I think I might have _some_ idea,” she added smiling moving one of her hands up to his cheek. “In fact,” she grew more serious, “I think I know quite well how you feel.” Her thumb traced along the scruff on his defined jaw, and grazed over his cheekbones before softly tracing the edge of his bottom lip. His eyes closed, and he inhaled deeply as she leaned up to place her lips on his with a delicate kiss.

He pulled her closer in their kiss, vowing silently in his head, to do everything in his power to never let her go. This was their moment to confirm their feelings. The moment he had craved, and dreamed, and imagined to distraction. He let his hands go where they wanted. She was on top of him, and everything he wanted was within his grasp. She was kissing under his ear and down his neck, and he could not take the suspense any longer. He looped his thumbs on either side of the small lacy string holding up her last article of clothing. He looked at her face, as she felt the sensation of his touch on the ridge of her hips. “May I, my Darling?” He whispered softly in the darkened room. Her lips found his, and she placed her own hands-on top of his at her hips. She guided his hands down as she answered, kissing his mouth. “You may, my Dearest…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Hyatt Hotels, Etihad, Speedo, or any other brands or companies associated with this story. Mostly the brands were chosen for their current affiliation with F1, or to simply make my life easier for doing research in an attempt to make things more realistic. Formula One is the pinnacle of motor racing, so everything is pretty glamorous, shiny, and fabulous already. For the story to feel more real to me, I needed to add more details from the real world. Otherwise it might only come across as a frivolous fantasy, and that isn’t the story I’m hoping to tell. 
> 
> Fun fact: I knew Speedo was started in Australia, and assumed it was still an Australian company. Imagine my surprise when checking my facts, that I found out it was purchased in stages by a British company, and its world headquarters are now in Nottingham, UK. Practically down the street from Nottingham University, where the RL “Sidney Parker,” Theo James, went to University. Who knew?!
> 
> https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/australia/park-hyatt-melbourne/melph/rooms


	31. Splash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is SUPER long. More than twice as long as the last one. Sorry, just too many things I wanted to cover before the next chapter. 15,300 plus words. 😳 I know right? Shout out to all the lovely Aussies who are reading this story! The more research I do on your country makes me really want to visit it! Plus we have a cameo from Australia's favorite F1 driver. Hope I can do him justice.

Chapter 31

Splash

Charlotte woke with her cheek on something hard and warm. Brushing her curls away from her eyes, she looked up to see Sidney laying on his back, his face turned toward her as her head was laying on Sidney’s chest with his arm wrapped underneath and around her. She smiled as she closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into his side. He shifted to hold her tighter against him. She could smell the spice of his cologne, mixed with his light sweat from their activities the night before. It had all been more than she could have asked for, hoped for, imagined. He had been open and sensitive as well as passionate and primal. They had taken their time. Enjoying their long-awaited exploration of each other, until hunger forced them to order some dinner. They wrapped their bodies in the hotel robes, and sat crossed legged on the floor in front of the fireplace talking and eating. Their “first picnic,” Sidney called it. He had ordered more food than they could eat, his growling stomach in combination with wanting to please her, making his choices over his brain. Everything was spread out next to them, as they sampled each plate. For dessert, some chocolate torte for Charlotte, and then he fed her some of the delicious strawberries that had been included with the assorted fruits.

They sat and ate, and talked in front of the glow of the fireplace. Instead of champagne, they drank sparkling water. This was a celebration, but they knew that their work week lurked in front of them. They were sustained with food, drink, and conversation. He watched her every movement. As she spoke and ate, how her laughter lit her face, her eyes as they followed him, her teeth smiling when she laughed out loud, fully relaxed in his presence, and expecting nothing from him but his time. She laughed even louder with a squeal when, after he had fed her the last strawberry, Sidney grabbed her tiny ankle, and pulled her swiftly toward him on the floor. Surprised and giggling as she lay on the floor, he crawled over her like a wolf with his prey, nibbling on her leg as he moved up her body. He pulled the tie of her robe open with his teeth as his hands were braced on either side of her. He kept crawling forward, all around her until her giggles turned to breathlessness. She snuggled more tightly against him again at the memory of their love making. She had thoroughly enjoyed every moment of their night together, and hated the idea of getting up to go to work. And she loved work, she always had. This was so different for her, and she felt that she was beginning to grow more as a person, and she also hoped as a couple, with Sidney. She felt his hand on her back drawing lazy circles and swirls on her skin. She hummed happily against his chest from the tingling sensations he sent down her spine and into her toes.

“If you keep doing that, I will never leave this bed,” she told him softly.

“Then I plan to never stop,” he added in his deep gravely morning voice.

“Hmmm, if you keep talking to me like that, I won’t let **_you_** leave this bed.” She loved the deep resonance of his voice, especially as the waves of the sound vibrated through the bones of her face still laying against him. It created the same sparks down her spine as his touch did. Even with her eyes closed, she knew he was looking at her. She was almost sure he was looking at where his fingers were tracing along her skin. His other arm came around his body as the area that now both of his hands were exploring had expanded to her exposed hips and then to her stomach, causing her breath to catch. He reached further down and was rewarded with her breathless “Sidney,” escaping her lips. Thinking about last night had made her want him even more this morning.

“Please tell me we have time for this,” she almost pleaded. He rolled to lay above her, supporting his weight on his arms. She opened her eyes to see him smiling at her.

“It’s only Tuesday, we will make time for this.” He lowered himself to kiss her neck, and her openness to him only encouraged his mouth to explore. “Besides, I haven’t seen you like this… in the daylight,” he smiled and murmured between kisses on her skin.

She looked down at him as he was kissing the center of her chest, her eyes inviting, and her smirk teasing. He propped his chin on her sternum to look up at her sultry expressions. “I’m sure one day I’ll be able to tell you ‘no,’” she said before her eyes darkened, “but not today.” He chuckled at her comment, then buried his still-smiling lips against her skin, and continued with his plan. Her head fell back on the disarranged pillows behind her. The changed light of the sunrise in the southern hemisphere was streaking through the gaps of the floor to ceiling curtains. Her eyes closed in the pleasure of his attention. She would see the sunrise in Australia on another day she thought, and smiled before her breath was taken again.

***

Breakfast was ordered while they dressed. The shower had been another experience that would make her blush if she thought on it too long, but it was also something she was eager to repeat. She shook her head and remembered why she was in Melbourne, placed her laptop on the small dining table, and opened her phone while her computer was booting up. Quite a few messages had been waiting for her.

Arthur:

-Since you and Sidney are not joining us for dinner, I can only assume we will see both of you at breakfast

\- At breakfast. We are leaving for the track at 9

\- It’s 8, I’m coming to find you. Warn my brother

“Sidney?!”

“What is it, Darling?” He asked concerned. He was dressed in his team gear, just as she was, and walked out of his bedroom with his socks and shoes in his hand.

“Arthur is on his way. He just sent…” The knock on the door announced his arrival before she could finish. “… a text.” She started to stand from her chair to answer the door.

“Don’t get up,” he leaned and kissed her cheek, smelling of toothpaste. “He is my brother, after all.” He added with a smile.

She signed in to her computer and started to open different programs, including her emails. Sidney walked down the short hall, unlatched the door, and swung it open with a flourish. “Good morning, brother!” He was smiling broadly, and swept his arm to the side to welcome his brother inside.

“Clearly…” Arthur said quietly to him as he walked past, “… a _very_ good morning.” He looked around the room, noticing the two bedrooms. He looked into one of them, noticing the sheets had obviously not been slept in. He decided he would avoid looking into the other bedroom. Charlotte was right in front of him at the small round table for 4.

She smiled as he approached. “Good morning Arthur. I hope I’m not running late.” She was happy to see him, and then concerned that she had put him out, signaling that with her straight wrinkle between her eyes. 

“Oh no, not late,” Arthur answered. “You just… disappeared after we arrived,” he added with his brows raised as he looked at her. She blushed instantly, and averted her gaze to her computer screen. he saw her take a deep breath, which was what she always did when she was anxious.

Still not looking at him, “Oh, you know, such a long trip.” She said, trying to deflect.

“Yes, of course.” He looked around the room again, and then back at her. She pressed and bit her lips together between her teeth, grateful that they had set the room service trays from last night in the hall, and called to have them picked up. “So… uh… Sharing a room, are we?” Arthur asked.

She nodded. It was so embarrassing. Arthur was her favorite colleague, apart from Sidney, and them being brothers, put her in an awkward position. If she had been dating anyone else, she would want to tell her new work friend all about it. Well, at least tell him some of it, she thought.

He kept looking at her, “Cosy…” he added brightly and with a smirk. She finally flicked her eyes up from her screen to look at him. Her eyes made her look caught in a trap. Albeit a trap she had set herself, but he then thought that maybe he should not tease her too much. “It’s a nice room,” he added. He looked over and saw his brother in the bedroom getting his things together in his duffel for the day as he whistled. Whistled!? It was like he had entered “the upside down.” He knew his eyes were growing wider, but the more he watched Sidney, “Stranger Things” seemed an apt description to what he was witnessing, than actual reality. He heard another knock on the door, then he heard Sidney speak.

“That’s room service with breakfast, would you get that Darling?”

Arthur’s lower jaw slackened as he watched Charlotte stand to get the door, and then thank and tip the waiter after he set up the trays. To make things even stranger, Sidney came out of his room, put his arm around Charlotte’s waist and kissed her forehead before they both sat down to eat on either side of him at the table.

Charlotte looked up at Arthur as she put away her laptop. “Did you eat yet? There’s plenty here,” she offered. He simply nodded as he watched the two of them behaving like they had been living together for years, and not just one night. He finally regained his composure, and shook off his initial shock. As the other two ate, he went through the schedule with Charlotte. They would spend the day at the track, get a chance to walk it to get a closer look later in the day, while the build continued in the garage. The engineers were going to go through data from previous years to start narrowing down the target fuel load for the race, and run some of the race sims to also work on settings for this year’s car. Thoroughly analyze the forecasts from their meteorologists, looking for rain and wind during the track times. After that, they had to start making some final choices for the first day of practice sessions, and have an alternate rain option for the settings.

Sidney was watching both of them as they talked and what the schedule would be. He balanced another bite of his porridge in his spoon, and asked Arthur “what time do you think you’ll be finished?”

“What time _I’ll_ be finished, or Charlotte?” He asked a little annoyed.

Sidney tipped his head to the side, a bit annoyed himself, and the spoon dropped back into the bowl. He was more than aware of their level of responsibility. “I would assume, Arthur, that your schedules would be almost identical.” His tone was clipped. “Unless my 8 years of experience in this job, has me misinformed.” His eyes narrowed at his brother.

That was the Sidney he knew, and Arthur almost let out a laugh of relief. He gave his brother a small smile. “No, I think you would be correct. Although, as Chief Engineer, I might need to be there more than Charlotte. However, her input into _your_ car is always extremely valuable. Or have you forgotten why we just went through that god-forsaken 24-hour trip?” Arthur’s voice was raising as he spoke.

Charlotte’s eyes grew as she watched the two brothers spar, and apparently about her, and work, and the possible strain of their new relationship, and how the team would work together through it. Wanting to shut this down as soon as possible, she added, “I hope that I will have _some_ say as to when I do or don’t work. Or when I think I am, or am _not_ needed.” She looked back and forth at both of them as she spoke steadily, her back straight. The two brothers looked at each other and simultaneously began apologizing.

“Certainly, Charlotte! Of course, you will not be kept on a _tether_ inside the paddock.” Arthur laughed a little nervously, and opted for a joke to deflect what she had said.

“Darling, I would _never_ presume to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, _especially_ with work!” Sidney was contrite, his voice softened from the tone he had used with his brother. He was in her pocket now and he knew it. If she put her foot down, he knew he would lose. He noticed Arthur narrow his eyes in curiosity as he was watching him speak to her. He did not dare to meet his eyes right now, and so kept looking at Charlotte.

She had picked up her tea cup and sipped from its rim before she settled it back on the table. She lifted her eyes to look at Sidney, and then moved them over to Arthur, who was still wearing his expression of confusion or curiosity, or a combination of the two, she wondered. This scene had probably come as something of a shock to him. No wonder he was hoping to place more focus on the job they were there to do. She smiled softly at Arthur, and set her hand on his arm. “Believe me Arthur, I am anxious to get to the track, and go through my checklist, and make sure that things seem to be on schedule. I will be there as long as you need me to be.” She looked at him pointedly so he understood her level of commitment.

She then looked at Sidney. “You knew our schedules would not be the same, that’s why we have this room, yes?” She now placed her hand over his grasping it lightly, and spoke in the most reassuring voice she had. He nodded almost imperceptibly. “Now, you have to eat, I can’t have Diana mad at us too,” she added with a wink, and he smiled back.

“I’m not _mad_ at you both” Arthur knew he would need to communicate better. “Just… trying to figure out… 1) How is this going to work from here on out, 2) What to expect from you both, in private and in public with cameras and reporters everywhere, and 3) … How can you be professional when you are both acting either like teenagers, or a couple that’s been together for a decade?!” He was shaking his head slightly in disbelief in what he was witnessing. This seemed much more complicated in reality than it had in theory, he thought.

Sidney looked over at Charlotte, and she was already looking at him smiling at what Arthur had said. He grinned at her and then looked over at his brother. He took a deep inhaling breath and stretched his body as he leaned back in his chair, thinking. “I suppose,” he said looking at Charlotte again, “we can be professional in the garage, on the track, in the control center, and with the reporters.” He was still looking at Charlotte. “Can’t we?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, yes, of course we can.” She said it almost to tell herself what was expected of her. Giving herself concrete instructions to follow. This was all new to her as well. “I have no doubt that once we are at work, Arthur, we won’t be able to focus on each other. There’ll simply be too much to do.” She stabbed at a piece of melon on her plate with her fork. She placed it in her mouth to eat it, and when she looked up, Sidney was giving her that ‘look.’ The look that she now knew meant that he was picturing her naked, or at least doing things with her in his mind that could not be done in public without getting arrested. She blushed as she kept chewing and looked away.

“Well, if this morning is any indication, the two of you have _quite_ a lot of work to do.” Arthur raised his brows in doubt.

Sidney came down from his cloud 9, and looked down at the table. “I’m sorry Arthur. I’m sure most of the needed self-control will be placed squarely in my court. Charlotte is far too professional to let ‘this’ get in the way of her work. Plus, once I’m on the track, or getting ready to be in the car, you know how my mind shifts.” He hoped that was still true.

Arthur nodded. “True. Or, at least that _used_ to be true. You might need to plan to avoid each other during that time.” He added to make his point. Plus, that might actually help.

Was he a mind reader? Sidney really needed to do better to put up his guard. “At least we have a few days to try and figure it out.” He added. “I promise, Arthur. I promise I will do _everything_ I can to make all of this work. This is everything that is important to me. You know that.” He looked at his younger brother who seemed to be older than his years.

“OK. Find a way. You have a couple days to make any personal adjustments. Work with Diana, and spend some time with Tom. _That_ will bring you back to reality in a hurry,” he added with some sarcasm.

Sidney listened to his advice. “True. But Arthur… you _will_ have to grant us the freedom to be happy in our _own_ hotel room.” His voice deepening to make his point.

Charlotte listened to the brothers negotiate and explain as she bit into her toast. They were both right.

“OK. The Hyatt is your ‘safe space,’ … But I expect, that you will be watching for reporters, and not make things uncomfortable in the garage, on the pit lane, in the control center, or while we are traveling, working, or spending time together as a team. Can you agree to that?” Arthur knew that he needed to spell everything out.

This time Charlotte spoke. “Yes Arthur. We can agree to that, can’t we?” She asked as she looked at Sidney.

“Darling, I am inclined to agree with you on anything,” he grinned at her, suddenly bursting with pride that she had chosen to be with him.

Arthur took a deep breath. “Well, you two, best finish eating. The cars will be downstairs for everyone in 15 minutes. Do _try_ not to be late.” He directed that at Sidney, as he stared him down.

Sidney shook his head and rolled his eyes. “We won’t be late as long as you leave us to eat, Arthur.”

Arthur smiled, Sidney’s frustration with him was a good sign that his normal, irascible self hadn’t been completely eliminated by his new romantic inclinations.

“Actually,” Charlotte took one last gulp of tea, “I’m finished. If you can wait for me Arthur, I just need a few minutes, then I can head down with you.”

“Great idea.” Arthur smiled at Charlotte, and then watched as she headed into the bathroom of her bedroom.

As soon as her bathroom door was closed, he quickly swiveled in his chair to look at his brother. He was speaking softly. “Now that we have a moment alone, Sidney, and if you can refrain from looking like a puppy dog for a minute.” He looked pointedly at his brother, who now was wearing a less than amused expression at his brother’s joke.

“Very funny, Arthur,” he responded flatly.

“I wish I was joking. Where is your ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude?” Arthur demanded. “Surely you haven’t spent the last 2 decades perfecting your distant and spiky persona to simply chuck it all in one night?!”

“Are you saying that I should be treating _Charlotte_ in that manner?!” Sidney fumed, but tried to keep his voice down so that she wouldn’t hear them.

“Certainly not! But you will need to show the world that attitude if you plan on keeping the two of you out of the tabloids!” He emphasized. Arthur took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you’re feeling, or… what it even feels like to be madly in love with someone so quickly.”

“I am not _madly_ in love, Arthur.” Sidney stated simply, trying again to mislead his brother.

“Oh really? ‘ _Darling_?’” Arthur’ sarcasm would not let him off the hook so easily.

Sidney rolled his eyes and threw his napkin from his lap onto the table top. “It’s a term of endearment, Arthur! It just came naturally.” Again, trying to keep his voice down, before he stood up, unable to sit still any longer.

“Oh _, is_ it?” Arthur asked. Then followed with, “When was the last time you called someone ‘Darling?’”

Sidney stopped and looked at his brother, his brows in thought, his hands defiantly on his hips. “I would say that I have never used it before.” He answered him truthfully and directly. “What are you getting at, Arthur? I don’t see what has sent up your _red flags_!”

“You’re not remembering, are you?” Arthur was looking at him, hoping to trigger a long-buried memory. “Mother, and Father?” Trying a prompt with his brows raised instead, and finally Sidney’s eyes showed awareness. “Ah! _There_ it is!” Arthur stated without satisfaction.

Sidney stopped in his tracks, and looked at Charlotte’s open bedroom door, his eyes wide and with some shock. “I… I didn’t think, I didn’t realize.” He muttered.

“There’s nothing wrong if you use it, and say it with meaning. If it came naturally to you, then I imagine you are using it with purpose.” He tilted his head to look at his brother better, but Sidney was still looking at the doorway. Arthur let out a small sigh. “Truly Sidney, if she is _your_ ‘Darling,’ like Mother was to Father, then by all means, don’t stop using it.” Arthur said more softly. “You just might be careful about when you use it, and around whom you use it. It might take Diana or Tom by surprise. It’s a common endearment, but with the way Father used to go on teasing about how it was only Mother’s and that no one else was his ‘Darling,’ even if it had been a playful family joke… He still never used it for anyone else, not even Diana, and we all know she was his favorite. Well, at least it seemed that way. Tom doesn’t even use it with Mary.”

Sidney took a deep breath. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice it.” He spoke softly and shook his head, his eyes wide. Shifting his thoughts, he looked at his brother with a small smirk. “Well, at least for your sake, you were _easily_ Mother’s favorite.”

“Well naturally. I _am_ the smartest and best looking of the lot of us.” Arthur finally got a laugh from Sidney. “And, seeing as how I am the most like Father, according to you, it only makes sense that I was her favorite.” He added with a cheeky smile.

“True,” Sidney added. He placed his hand on Arthur’s shoulder, and then started to walk, pacing pensively in circles, back and forth as he thought.

“Really Sidney, you’re making me nauseous.” Arthur said, but before he could say anything else, Charlotte had emerged from the bathroom, now wearing some lightly applied makeup. She walked to the table where she quickly added her phone, small notepad, and tablet next to her laptop, all organized neatly in their assigned locations within her tote. She looked up and found both of the Parker brothers staring at her. She moved a small step backwards, suddenly skeptical of the two of them.

“I don’t know what the two of you talked about when I was out of the room, but from the way I am being scrutinized, I can already tell you that I do _not_ want to know.” Some things needed to be kept among siblings, she thought.

Sidney smiled and walked over to her, placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her his half grin and soft-eyed smile. Trying to reassure her. He gently placed a kiss on her forehead, which only made her more skeptical of his motives to do that. When he pulled back, he saw her look, and laughed a little. “No need to be concerned… Darling.” His eyes softer than before.

At that Arthur stood, “I’ll wait for you in the hall, Charlotte,” turned and walked out the door. Sidney laughed at his brother’s quick retreat and looked back at Charlotte smiling. “I think he’s just going to need some time to get used to us together.”

Charlotte nodded in agreement, but knew there was more to it that she would never find out. Now that they were alone, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling them together. “Now, Mr. Parker. It seems that we will not be alone again until this evening. So that means that whatever good-bye kiss you give me, will need to last me for hours and hours and hours…” She spoke softly and drew her shoulders closer his chest, getting as close to him as possible. “I’m afraid that a sweet peck on my forehead simply will _not_ do…”

His devilish smirk grew wide at her words. He moved back her hair that was laying on her shoulder. He gently wove his fingers through her hair at the nape of neck, until he gripped the curls into his hand and held her head where he could best access her mouth while still looking into the dark abyss of her wide eyes. Softly, he spoke as he leaned closer and closer to her face. “It seems I have been remiss, Dr. Heywood. I could hardly let you leave this room feeling… unsatisfied.” He brushed his lips across hers, barely touching them. “In fact, it would haunt me all day if I had,” as he whispered into her ear before kissing her neck under it. He could feel her body relax in his arms, losing her balance. She sighed quietly as he held her closer. He looked down at her, her eyes closed and her lips parted. He dipped her head back further, kissing her throat, his lips and tongue moving gently across her delicate skin until he was talking into her other ear. “My Darling…” he whispered, and she responded with a restrained quiet noise from her throat, knowing that his brother was just outside the door. “I will miss you every second, of every minute we are apart.” He finally pulled her head forward and held her close as he claimed her mouth with his open lips. He pulled her lower lip between his lips and then his teeth, eliciting an aroused gasp as she held on to him for balance, demanding as much from him as he had already given to her. Their embrace felt like they were starting something, instead of separating for the day, but Sidney could not help himself. Not when this voluptuous, gorgeous creature was in his arms. He gently released her, steadying her as she stumbled getting her footing on solid ground. 

She was dizzy and felt drunk. Nothing but alcohol had ever gotten close to making her feel this way. Her eyes opened slowly to look at him, they were still so close as they held on to each other. “Again, you are making it impossible for me to leave.” Just like when she was trying to leave for Willingden, she dreaded leaving his side. Only now, she knew exactly _what_ she was leaving, and it made the torture that much more painful.

His smirk and his smoldering eyes displayed how pleased he was with himself for making her feel this way. He wanted her to know how much he desired her, he wanted her to _feel_ how much he desired her by showing her. He hummed softly. “I can assure you the feeling is more than mutual.” He lightly rubbed his nose against hers. “This way you won’t forget how much I am looking forward to later when I am behaving like a taciturn driver while at work.” He gave her a wide smile and a wink.

“I can assure you I will find it impossible to forget,” she giggled lightly and kissed him one more time before she sighed and stepped back. She reluctantly and slowly let her hands pull away from around his waist. He released her hair, and let her move to get her bag, and led her by her hand to the door.

As he opened the door to the hallway, he smiled and said “At least I know that I am leaving you in the care of my devoted and responsible brother,” He looked up to see Arthur rolling his eyes up. “What Arthur? Are you not both of those things?” He added with a playful grin.

“You forgot ‘brilliant’ and ‘incredibly handsome,’ Sidney.” He answered flatly.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to give Charlotte any ideas,” he teased back

Arthur laughed loudly, his face turning red. “You… giving _Charlotte_ ideas?” He was almost doubled over. “Dear brother, whatever ideas you have, Charlotte thought of them two weeks ago.” Laughing at his own joke, he wiped a tear from his eye.

Sidney looked less than amused, but when he looked at Charlotte, she was pressing her lips together to try and keep from laughing. Once she looked at Sidney and then again at Arthur, whose laughter was contagious, she could no longer help herself from laughing as well. Sidney looked a little hurt that they were clearly making fun of him.

“On no! No, no, Sidney! I’m not laughing at you, Dearest,” she pleaded. “I’m only laughing at Arthur enjoying his joke. If it’s any consolation, my siblings tease me _mercilessly_. _Really_ , it’s almost criminal.” She had clung to his arm in the hope that he would understand her.

Once she had called him “Dearest” again, he already had moved on and forgiven any hurt feelings. She pushed up off her toes and kissed his cheek. “I promise,” she added. He couldn’t help but smile at her at her sweet pleading eyes.

“Of course, I believe you Darling,” he spoke softly. Arthur was still trying to compose himself.

“Two weeks…” he repeated and started laughing and shaking his head again. “I’ll have to use that one again,” he said. He looked over at them, and shook his head. “Alright, lovebirds, time to go!” He ordered, changing his demeanor in an instant. “Seriously, vamanos Charlotte! Sidney, we will see you at the track,” he captured his brother’s eye contact. “Best behavior only, Sidney,” he reminded him sternly. Sidney nodded.

“Best behavior, Arthur.” He nodded again, kissed Charlotte on the head, and smiled at her as he went back into the room.

They were quiet as they rode down the elevator. Only a couple of the engineers, including William and Daniel, were in the lobby when they got there. Before they reached the small group, Arthur, feeling a little guilty, stopped and pulled on Charlotte’s arm. She turned to look at him with her wrinkled brow.

“I’m sorry, if I embarrassed or offended you Charlotte. That’s certainly not what I wanted to do… I guess I was taken aback by how changed my brother is.” She smiled at him.

“I’m not, offended… maybe a little embarrassed.” She added sheepishly. “I haven’t been in this kind of situation before. So public.” She added. “And honestly, I don’t know how Sidney was before we met.” She said quietly to keep their conversation private.

“I would say his initial introduction to you was fairly accurate,” he said with a twinkle. “uh, _before_ I stepped into the hallway and made a _real_ introduction that is.” He finished with a chuckle. 

Charlotte’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know that he told you about that,” she said surprised.

Arthur shrugged, “I mean, he has his moments of good humor, especially with the children, and of course his friends. But ‘angry miserable sod,’ has been one of his favorite moods for _quite_ some time.” He elaborated.

“I see.” She licked her lips before she pressed them together. Her eyes roamed around the bright and sunny lobby as she thought. She had already been a little concerned about how their relationship was going to play at work. “I guess this might be more complicated than I anticipated,” she added a little worried.

Arthur chuckled happily. “At least work is something in which you and Sidney both excel!” He added with a smile and a pat on her back. “C’mon, we don’t want to be stuck with the ‘bad’ seats in the van.” And he tipped his head toward the door with a smile.

They left as Sidney was entering the lobby. He gave her a wink while he was still far enough away that no one else saw him. Her cheeks turned pink, but she smiled as she looked again at Arthur as he led her to their waiting van. It was a quick ride through the central business district, where their hotel was located, over the Yarra river in between the sleek modern skyscrapers on every side, and then to the very scenic Albert park. It was not far from the Port Phillip Bay, which eventually led to the Indian Ocean. On the other side of the track around Albert park Lake, was the Albert Park golf course, and further away from the bay, the botanical gardens. In all, the ride took about 15 minutes in mild traffic.

They finally got to where she could see the track better. The fences up, grandstands set up at various corners and points on the track. Temporary half walls in green and yellow, topped by two layers of fine mesh, and sturdy fencing designed to protect spectators and track workers in case of a crash. The lake, which determined the shape of the track, was a lovely green and blue. Surprisingly, palm trees were dotted around the entire circumference of the lake, making it look very tropical. Tropical, modern, and yet, still in the season of Fall with the occasional brisk breeze. Green grass, bright blue coastal skies, and the gulls overhead, just like in Sanditon. If the weather held out this week, they could really be in for some excellent conditions.

She did wonder how it would be on the practice and race days. The weather, and their transportation time. She noticed the many hilly spots around the track where the spectators could lay their blankets and watch from a higher vantage point. The track itself did not have much elevation change, the golf course next to it did, and some points on the other side of the lake as well. Very spectator friendly with many open spaces where they could watch the cars flying past. Absorbing as much of the atmosphere and physical features of the race track had distracted her. They were already approaching the first gate. When they arrived to the first security check, the passes on the vehicles allowed them to be waved through. Their personal ID and passes had been given to them on lanyards to wear at all times, which allowed them to be scanned as soon as they entered the paddock area, and gave them complete access.

Charlotte knew that the paddock would have something of a carnival atmosphere, but it was more intense than she had thought. She squeezed Arthur’s arm. “Don’t you dare leave me any time soon.” She whispered to him. So many people already on hand, working on the back of the track. It was very different from testing week.

He looked at her with a grin and a wink. “Wouldn’t dream of leaving you to these vultures on your own,” and he patted her hand. All this activity around them was just the first day that the teams could get in to start their work on the cars. The FIA and F1 representatives and logistics personnel had been here for days already. The vast communications building, which was torn down and rebuilt at every race, was the media, and communications hub for the entire event. They broadcast the practice sessions and the races, worked with the many media outlets covering the race, made it possible for the teams to have secure WIFI links, and their servers made the entire event possible.

By the time personnel like mechanics and engineers got there, an atmosphere of hive activity had already been well established. Gravel and paved paths showed them where the team control centers were set up behind the pit garages. If the paths hadn’t been enough of a guide, the large temporary buildings that looked either like miniature Miami hotels with their glossy walls and bright colors, or industrial lofts in TriBeCa with their edgy, aged steel looking exteriors. A mini Vegas strip, with almost as much money on the line. More often, they went with modern and forward thinking in their designs. That’s what Formula 1 is all about, innovation, new technologies, new engines, new materials, and all of those new developments slowly trickling down to the average, everyday car buyer in a decade or so.

Charlotte had already seen a lot of this during the testing week. But this was on a new level, and the week had just started. She noticed the press tent and shivered slightly, thinking of the last time she had been in one. It wasn’t long before the Parker Racing control center came into view. White and silver in its construct, with the same deep sea and cerulean blues of their team logo and garage package. The blue always seemed to calm her, and she was surprised that it felt like a homecoming when she walked through the solid glass doors.

She and Arthur found their offices, they had arranged to have one each as they really needed the space. They settled their items, Charlotte taking her laptop as she always did, locked her office door, and headed for the team garage. It was almost directly across the paved wide path from the control center, which made sense, and would make things easier for them. They had left a lot of the engineers to keep running sims and checking data from previous races on this circuit in the control center, where the majority of their computer power on site was located. The garage set-up was exactly as she remembered from testing week. The pit wall was set up, but still with its covers on, as they wouldn’t need it until Friday. Charlotte set her things on the engineer island, and looked out onto the pit lane. It was fairly long. The pit garages were in a building that was purpose-built years ago to accommodate the race, but also had a dual use as an indoor sports building for all the other weeks of the year. She was dying to get out on the track and inspect the conditions of the tarmac, see the curves and turns, and long straight up close. Finally get a feel for what they would be working with.

Arthur came up next to her. “Exciting, isn’t it?” She looked at him and nodded.

“More excited than I realized I would be,” she said with a wide smile on her face. “It’s beautiful here. The lake behind us, the Fall light in the sky. All so strange after leaving Spring back in England.”

Arthur laughed. “Yeah, Bahrain will feel like another _planet_. This just feels like a different continent, with a different style. Very charming though. I always enjoy coming here. Even if I wish someone could knock me out to sleep the entire flight.” He added. China and Singapore are long flights as well, but this one takes the cake. Maybe that’s why it’s the first race every year.” Arthur was pondering this, when the mechanics called them both over. Charlotte soon had her laptop and opened her check list, she went over all the supplies and parts one by one with them, and they checked for anything that could have been damaged during transport. Both teams of mechanics were working diligently to get as much done as early as possible. So far, things looked to be on schedule.

Arthur found her writing emails to the different engineering teams around lunch time. “Come on, I know you didn’t eat enough for breakfast,” he said and pointed his head toward the paddock area.

She blushed slightly, remembering breakfast before telling him, “remind me, we need to triple check the pneumatic equipment, and check all the wheel guns, plus the spares. I don’t want to leave that till last.” She finished typing the current email and then closed down the computer.

Arthur nodded, “Yes, yes, we will make sure that gets done.” As she finished up. He smiled. “Let’s go eat,” he added. “You need sustenance. Can’t have you wilting on us the first day.” He added, still smiling.

She smiled back. “True, the first day at testing was bad enough. I can’t make a habit of near-fainting, Diana would never forgive me.”

“No, she would not!” Arthur agreed. They moved through the back of the garage, the white tent that covered the air freight containers and the racks of tyres in one of the team branded trailers. They were color coded for each driver, some were already packed in their warming blankets, ready to be plugged in at a much later time. Arthur waved at a few people from other teams that he had known for years. There was a camaraderie among the competitors, but it would never be friendly enough to let someone get ahead of you on the track. Professional courtesy, combined with the mutual respect and understanding that only comes from spending time working in the same field; then intensified with working in an incredibly specialized, and pressure filled environment. They were all living with the same stresses and uncertainties.

They had a quick walk to the hospitality suite that was attached to their control center, and found a quiet table for lunch. She took a few large bites of her salad, and then started on her sandwich. She really was hungry. For a split moment she questioned why in her head, and started blushing as she remembered the activities of the night before, and this morning. She took a drink of water from her glass, and decided to check more of the texts on her phone to redirect herself. Arthur was busy eating his soup, and checking his phone as well.

“Michael says that he and Babington will be here soon. Looks like the drivers will come later for the track walk through.” She informed Arthur. He nodded as his mouth was full.

“Good, good. Sounds about right. I think they may have a small press event before they get here,” He confirmed. He stopped eating and looked out the floor to ceiling smoke colored windows of their dining area. He watched the other teams filtering past and then glanced at Charlotte. Curiously, he asked, “Charlotte, how many languages have you studied?”

“Oh, quite a bit, since I was young really. My mother always teases me that I was obsessed with French starting from the age of 4,” she said with a slight roll of her eyes.

“French… what else?” he inquired.

“Spanish after that, German, some Norwegian, then Danish… a good dose of Italian at Cambridge, and a couple semesters of Japanese… and some independent study on Arabic. Those language apps really are quite useful. Why?” She had taken another large bite of her salad and looked at him with her brows curious as he was watching the people out the windows.

“Just that… well no one knows you here yet. They may have heard of you from F3, maybe done a bit of research,” he paused, thinking with his own brows pinched at his train of thought. “You’re a dark horse. They really don’t know what you’re capable of… May I make a suggestion? Purely from a strategic stand point.”

Now she really was curious what he was thinking, and set down her fork. “I’m always up for strategic ideas, Arthur.”

“Well, the other teams, the staff often speak a lot of one language or another. French, Italian, German, mostly. Just a thought, that as the season moves forward, don’t reveal all your strengths to them.”

“Oh, I see,” she said and turned a little to look out the windows as well. Red, yellow, blue, green, orange, white, black, silver and pink jerseys from all the other teams were filing past them as they ate. “The less they know the better.”

“Yes, exactly. Especially on the pit lane. They will talk amongst themselves, and will be very at ease in their own languages. Not that we want to spy on them, but they may expose a weakness in their less guarded moments.” He added. “Of course, they _all_ speak English, so we aren’t really hiding anything from them unless we make a point to.”

Charlotte nodded almost imperceptibly. “So, if they ask, or if anyone asks…”

“Spanish.” He answered quickly, “and add that you studied Greek and Latin in classics courses at Cambridge. With your educational background, no one would question it. At best, there are only a few Spanish or Portuguese speaking drivers. But they don’t run the teams, typically.

“Very good point Arthur,” she added as she looked at him. She had completely left out that she had studied Latin in secondary school, so it did make sense. “Very clever, in fact,” she said with a conspiratorial smile.

“Thank you, but I can’t really take credit for it. Something Reggie Lambe taught me as a lad. Apparently, something he used quite often in negotiations. He even hired tutors to work with him to help polish his understanding of different dialects… He was working on Cantonese when he died.” He finished solemnly.

“And it seems that his lessons have taken you very far, Arthur. I’m sorry I never got the chance to meet him.” She added, and then thought of Georgiana and how she hadn’t really been able to speak with her in a while.

“He would have adored you!” He smiled. “’Always hire the top people!’ He used to say. Yes, I think your two minds could have worked very well together,” he smiled, thinking of the possibilities that would never come to pass.

“But that’s why I have you, Arthur.” She smiled sincerely at him, and he seemed a little flustered by her candidness.

“Ah! Now you’re just trying to make me blush.” He smiled. “But as you already have that effect on one of the Parker brothers, the last thing I want is to make my brother jealous.” He said with a wink and a small laugh.

She smiled back. “Oh no, we can’t have anything affect the _ego_ of our lead driver, that would _only_ have negative consequences.” Her sarcasm tipped Arthur into a full hearty laugh.

“You really have his number Charlotte! But don’t worry, I won’t let him know.” He added with a wink.

They continued their lunch, and headed back to the garage once they were finished. She heard the familiar voice of her brother before they walked into the work space. He and Babington were in deep discussion about the base settings for the cars at the island separating the two sides. They were supervising the build, and checking on the parts just as Charlotte and Arthur had done earlier. The competition between the drivers was already starting to show in the posture shown with their respective race engineers. Charlotte waited to approach to see how things were going, but also felt this was something they were going to have to get through on their own.

She let Arthur approach them first, and she moved to see what the mechanics were working on with James’ car, and if they were having any issues or problems so far. She answered some questions, and made suggestions on where to run some of the hydraulic lines, if they weren’t working where they were currently mapped to go. Michael walked over to her.

“How’s everything looking so far?” His eyes were focused on the array of electrical wiring, and the guts of the car as it was laid open.”

Her arms were crossed in front of her, as she inspected the work. “So far, things look right on schedule. Very close to what we had at testing, with only some changes internally. Once we get a better weather forecast, and a good look at the track, we should be able to make some other decisions.” She replied.

“That’s good, I guess.” He added

“Everything OK?” She asked quietly, tilting her head toward him. They were facing the car with their backs to the rest of the garage. She could tell he was on edge.

“I’m sure everything is fine. I think maybe I’m just nervous. This is where the team starts to part into two teams, with the cars, and strategy.” He exhaled and ran his hand through his dark waves of hair, just like Charlotte’s, but short on the sides and longer on the top. With enough product in it, it looked a lot like Harry Styles on one of his better days. Michael just didn’t need a stylist to get his hair to artfully curve up and back, and spike in all the right places. It did that naturally.

Charlotte squeezed his arm. “I know, it feels like a lot of pressure, but you know what you are doing Michael. It’s just on a bigger scale.” She looked back down at James’ car. “And I won’t leave you out in the cold. We need both cars to run as well as possible for the team.”

“I know. I think I’m more concerned for the time when I know I will have to get on the radio, and give James ‘team orders’ not to race Sidney. It’s inevitable.” He stood straighter and looked around to see who was near him. “James did really well at testing. If he’s quick, and let’s say Sidney is right behind him, or right in front of him. What will the team strategy be? I can’t believe they would not support the driver whose last name is Parker.” He whispered.

Charlotte was biting her lower lip. He was right, and it was something she had been trying not to think about. “I know what you mean, and I think I know how you feel.” She kept biting her lip. “I also know that they’ve been doing this a long time, and their strategies have been used and practiced for many years between them.” Charlotte was thinking of Babington and Sidney’s relationship. They were so close. It was like they could read each other’s minds sometimes. She patted her brother’s shoulder, high above her own. “We know that this will be a learning experience. We knew that coming in. I also know that James is a smart driver. He’s sharp, he’s fearless, and he’s quick. He will learn quickly. Just… remember that. Only he can be the one on the track. Your job is to work with the strategy decided by the team, analyze the situation, and keep James calm and focused. Right?” She looked up at him. He had his glasses on this morning, and she couldn’t help thinking that they made him look younger. It was either that, or it was because he was biting his own lower lip now. He nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. I can only do my best in each situation.” He said almost resignedly.

“And the situations and conditions can change rapidly out there. Ultimately you and James are a team, and making sure you both know that and trust each other, will get you both through the difficult days and the good ones.” She thought she was starting to sound like Aunt Augusta. But since she was back in Oxfordshire, it was good that Charlotte had paid attention to all the lessons she taught her over the years.

Michael looked down and grinned at her. “True,” he said. “Say, how did you get so smart all of a sudden?” He tried to keep a straight face, but couldn’t help himself from laughing when Charlotte punched him playfully on his arm.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the control center, working with the engineers who were comparing data from previous races at the same track, with the data gathered in testing with the current car. Simulations with data from the wind tunnel as well as from testing were also being analyzed and tested with minor and significant changes made individually for each simulation. Then more than one change at a time to see how the adjustments interacted in the simulations when combined. It was time-consuming work. Before they realized it, the day had flown past and it was time for all the teams to gather their primary players to walk the track.

Clara walked into the garage ahead of Sidney and James. A small press event to start the week had taken place with all the drivers. Standard questions, with a lot of rehearsed standard answers. Until they would be able to get their brand-new constructions out on the track, there wasn’t much new to say. No one had questioned Sidney about any relationship updates, or if there was even the existence of a relationship. He was sure that would change soon enough as they traveled more. They waited for the rest of the “walking” group to show up. Tom bounded into the garage, having just left a leadership meeting with the FIA officials, going over track rules and any changes to those rules from last year. Fred Robinson, their Sporting Director, who was in charge of making sure the team followed all those rules walked in more slowly behind him. The massive time change, plus the changes that come with becoming a first-time father, had left his days and nights mixed up irreparably. 

Michael, George, Arthur and Charlotte arrived a few minutes later. A horn blew somewhere which was the signal for the team’s walking crew to assemble in the pit lane. The drivers naturally gravitated to their race engineers. Arthur and Charlotte were talking together, and each had a small tablet and stylus ready for taking notes. Arthur asked Fred to walk with them for clarification of any details in regards to the rules on track limits, and also to figure out where they would need to reinforce those limits with the drivers. Tom decided to stay back and talk with Clara about the game plan with the press for the coming week.

Each team had their contingent, and they walked in their small groups with enough space between them to keep the conversations private. Charlotte had tried to avoid looking at Sidney too often, as the drivers and their engineers were walking in front of them. The sunny day at least allowed for a pair of very dark sunglasses, but she was sure Arthur was keeping track of what she as paying attention to. Fred was full of helpful information, and they noticed that the track had been resurfaced earlier in the year, but as it usually functions as a public road, the tarmac shouldn’t be too slippery since it had some use already.

Sidney had also tried to not look behind him as he walked with Babington, James and Michael. He knew that Babington would be checking where his attention was, as well as Arthur, so he did his best to keep his eyes on the dips, curves, kurbs, bumps, and angles of the track. He had been here many times before, but each time the car was drastically different. He hoped that his experience would help give him an edge. Walking with his teammate also helped to keep his attention focused on his work. What was James looking at? How could he hide some of the things that _he_ was looking at? He didn’t want to give too much of his strategy away. They only got to do this walk-through one time. He didn’t want to waste it.

The walk around the track took some time, as the length of the racing surface is almost 3.3 miles. Sidney also took note of the sun at this time of day. The race would start at 4 on Saturday, and since it is Fall in Australia, the sun sets earlier. This causes deep shadows across the track from the surrounding trees as the race laps ticked away. It was past 5 o’clock now, and it was always good to check to see where the light on the track changed from the year before. Which corners and curves would be almost blind in the shadows at the end laps of the race? If it rained, it made the problem worse. Something he and Babington took note of, and discussed alternate racing lines, brake settings, and gear changes through those trickier spots.

After a very long walk, they soon approached the pit lane entrance from the track. Sidney said a few more words to Babers, and made an escape to talk with the group walking right behind him. Arthur saw him coming, and moved over toward Fred right before he gave his brother a “behave yourself” glare over the top of his sunglasses. Sidney gave him a nod so that the message was loud and clear.

“So, Dr. Heywood, what did you think?” He asked as he moved to walk in step next to her. His eyes were kept straight ahead.

“I was just thinking, that in the time it took us to walk the track at a leisurely pace today, you will have completed more than half the race on Sunday.” She grinned cheekily with a sideways glance toward him walking on her right. she was rewarded with a laugh that Sidney worked to keep contained, but couldn’t.

“Always thinking about the numbers, are we, Dr. Heywood?” He finally dipped his head to look down toward her.

“Racing is all about numbers, Mr. Parker. As one of my employers, you should be happy that those are what I am focusing on, instead of my dashing racing driver boyfriend.” She looked up at him through the space above her own sunglasses. “He does make it quite difficult when I am trying to do my work, sometimes.” Even with his tan, and the sun that was still bright as it dwindled, she was sure that she saw a hint of blushing on his neck.

“Well… perhaps he is equally distracted.” He added softly. “Especially when you are biting your lip as you are just now.” She let go of her lower lip and pressed them together instead to try and stop from smiling too hard. He watched and she seemed to be looking around once they reached where the pit garages began.

Some of the other teams that had walked in front of them were congregating in their garages, and outside their garages on the pit lane. She paused momentarily. “Oh no,” she whispered.

“What’s wrong?” He whispered out of the side of his mouth.

“Just worried I’ll need to meet some of these people as we walk back… It makes me nervous. I don’t know if they know who I am, except for maybe the press photos. Plus, men in science fields aren’t always… accepting of women working where they work.” She was still speaking softly, and her eyes were glancing down the team garages on her right.

Sidney tried to look relaxed, but he was also looking at the garages. There were a lot of people he knew, drivers, team bosses, legendary designers and engineers. Some of them since he was a lad in karting, and his dad was running the race team. He waved at a few. Some he had already seen at the press event, and walking through the paddock before the track walk-through. But it was only one voice from behind them that he heard actually calling his name.

“Sidney!” A friendly Australian accent jogged up to see him as he turned around. He noticed Charlotte stiffen up slightly. “Hey mate, haven’t had a chance to catch up.” A wide white smile graced the face of the tan, dark haired, Australian driver Dan as he clasped hands with Sidney in a much cooler version of a handshake, and then a friendly hug. He was only 2 years older than Sidney, and they had raced in karts as kids, and had been in F2 briefly together before Dan had moved up to F1. He was a gifted and quick driver, but also probably the friendliest one off the track. It was his cunning on the track, and his affability off the track that had earned him the nickname of “Honey Badger.”

“I saw you at the press briefing, but you were in the second group to speak with them. You know, the ones they expect to win races this year.” Sidney smirked at him.

“You win races, Sid.” He smiled. “Or at least you used to,” and he laughed as he teased him.

“Still planning on podiums again this year, Dan,” Sidney smirked back at him. “Got a few last year. Get a couple almost every year.” He reminded him.

“I know, mate, just giving you a hard time.” He said smiling, and he really was just teasing. There wasn’t any animosity between the two drivers. A friendly rivalry that focused more on the friendly aspect. Then Dan looked over at Charlotte who almost looked like she was trying to hide in plain sight. He looked back up at Sidney, amused. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your lovely companion?”

Charlotte straightened at that comment, and Sidney pulled her forward slightly by reaching for her lower back. “Dan, this is Charlotte. Charlotte, this is Dan.” He said with a smile, but also with some trepidation.

Dan put out his hand to shake hers. “Charmed, Charlotte. I think you must be new ‘round here. Either that, or Sidney’s been hiding you… with good reason.” He added with a wink as he smiled at her.

“Right on the first try, Dan. Very new here, but I am familiar with your work.” She smiled at him. It was impossible not to, he was very warm and his eyes were kind. She also noticed that Sidney’s chest filled with some air and he held himself taller just then.

“And what has Parker Racing have you working on?” His eyes narrowed slightly as his head moved a little in curiosity. “Walking the track. You must have a special role on the team.” He added.

She hesitated and took a deep breath, and smiled. “I’m the new Chief Technical Director, for Parker Racing.” There had been other people returning to the pit lane after their walk through. She had tried to not say it too loudly, but she also had to say it loudly enough, and to own the title she had. She was beginning to realize that she would not be able to maintain her anonymity much longer. She also noticed that several people from a few teams turned to look at her as she had said it. The cat was out of the bag, at least _that_ cat was.

She could see Dan’s eyes widen as she had said it. “Well, perhaps I should shake your hand again Charlotte. Very impressive!” He added with a smile and twinkle in his eyes. He took off his sunglasses to get a better look at her, but he also reached for her hand to shake it again, which made her laugh.

“Thank you,” she smiled in return.

“Goodness, beautiful _and_ smart.” Dan was still looking at her, completely forgetting that Sidney was standing right there.

“Thank you, again,” she said. She was becoming a little self-conscious from the level of eye-contact he was giving her, along with his enigmatic smile. He also had not let go of her hand. It was a level of obvious flirting she had not even gotten from Sidney before they started dating.

“Where are you from, Charlotte?” Dan was intrigued, and wanted to know more.

“Easy, Honey Badger.” Sidney metaphorically stepped in, and almost physically stepped between the two of them as well.

Dan looked up at him curiously as he let go of Charlotte’s hand, and smiled as he recognized the look in Sidney’s eyes. “Oh, I _see,_ ” he said. His grin growing wider. “ _This_ race, you’ve already won,” He said with a smile and a nod.

Sidney relaxed and cleared his throat. “Or maybe, Charlotte won this race,” he added with a smirk. His friend laughing out loud, which seemed natural for him to do with his easy manners, and open personality.

Still laughing, Dan added, “I’ve known you for a decade, mate. This is a race that _you_ won, you lucky bastard!” And he clapped his hand on Sidney’s arm. Still chuckling he looked back at Charlotte. “ _Very_ nice to meet you Charlotte… if things get boring with Parker here, you know where to find me.” He winked cheekily, and nudged his head toward his team’s garage. He laughed, and clapped Sidney’s arm again, as Sidney’s face fumed. “You have _got_ to learn to take a joke, Parker. _Look_ at you, ready to _kill_ me.” He laughed even harder. Sidney shook his head and finally laughed as well.

“Never a dull moment with you, Dan.” Sidney said, still shaking his head.

“Well, that’s why I’ve always been more popular than you are.” Dan laughed at his own comment. He looked back at Charlotte. “I love teasing him. He’s so _serious_ all the time. Almost makes it too easy.”

She smiled at him. “Yes, well that’s one more thing we are working on improving this year.” She added with a wink toward Sidney. Dan laughed at that as well.

“Time to head back, my parents are in from Perth, waiting to go to dinner.” He added with a smile. “Again, very nice to meet you Charlotte, and good luck on the track… and off.” Dan winked at Sidney as he said good bye to him as he left.

Charlotte fanned herself with her hand slightly. “Goodness! If he could harness all that energy and personality onto the track, he could win every race!” She observed.

Sidney looked back at her, and she looked a little flustered. “Well Charlotte, you’ve met 3 current drivers on the grid now. 17 more to go. I’m sure there will be other offers like Dan’s, in case you wish to wait to make your decision.” His sarcasm wasn't enough to cover how he felt. He had not enjoyed that at all. Dan was fun and funny, and really meant no harm to anyone. Ever. It also showed him how much attention Charlotte might get from all the other men up and down the pit lane. His insecurities and losses from his past made him feel ungrounded all of a sudden, and petty.

Charlotte’s brow pinched tightly as she looked up at him, surprised at the turn he had made. “You can’t be serious, Sidney.” He looked away from her back up the pit lane toward the track. “Sidney, look at me,” she added softly. It was hard to get his eye contact through the lenses of their sunglasses. “Do you think that I am really that fickle? That I would throw you over like that?!”

He hung his head down to look at the pavement. He shook his head. “No, I … I didn’t think about how hard this would be… with so many other people around. With so many _men_ who would also find you incredibly attractive, which of course they would... I wasn’t ready for it.” He said it all so quietly. There were people surrounding them, and she gently pulled his arm so they could walk and get closer to their own team garage, and away from everyone else. He felt like an idiot because of his reactions, and because he should have realized that she would get just as much attention for how she looked as for how smart she was. Add those two together, and the attractions were impossible to deny, and for men of substance not to notice. Her looks alone would probably get her even _more_ attention. Demons from his past were making themselves at home again in his subconscious, and he needed to find a way to tamp them down.

They stopped in front of their own team’s pit wall, finding a place where there were less people. “I’m sorry Charlotte, I don’t know why I said that. You don’t deserve that, and you’ve never given me any reason to think that you would be that type of person.” He took a deep breath.

She was standing there looking at him, with her arms crossed in front of her. “That’s right, I haven’t.” she looked around to see how many people were watching them. There were a few. Some from their own garage, and others up and down the pit lane. “We cannot argue here. There are too many people watching.”

“I don’t want to argue. I shouldn’t have said what I did.” He added.

“I think the bigger question is _why_ you felt the need to say it. I can’t believe it was from anything I have done. _Is it_?” She tried to think if she had done anything that would make him question her loyalty. They were a new couple, but she hadn’t even looked at anyone else since she met him.

He stood taller, just to mask what he was feeling from the observers around them. He shook his head just a little. “No. Not at all. That… that was a reaction to something that happened a long time ago. With a person who was absolutely _nothing_ like you. A person who would not even _begin_ to understand how to be a person like you, Charlotte.” He shook his head at the thought of the disparity between the two women, and he hated that the damage she left behind was still haunting him, and hurting his Darling Charlotte. He looked at her directly now. “I am truly… very… sincerely, sorry. I didn’t even know what it felt like to be jealous anymore. It’s awful, and... It took me by surprise. And that’s all it was. Me being jealous and scared of losing you.”

Her eyes roamed the groups of people around them, but his honesty touched her. “OK. I accept your apology. I hope this doesn’t happen often.” She looked at him with her own fear close to the surface. “I am accustomed to working with men, you know. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.” He nodded as she spoke. “It might have been the most _entertaining_ version I’ve lived through though,” she added with a small smile. He chuckled and smiled a little.

“Dan is always entertaining.” He smiled and looked at her again. “I am sorry. I will do better next time.”

“If there is a next time.” She added.

He laughed a little more but not in a way that was amused. “Oh, there will _definitely_ be ‘a next time.’ Of that you can be sure.” He looked at her seriously, “I’ll do better.”

“I expect you to.” She added with raised eyebrows. “Now, we should head back soon.” He looked at her questioningly, as she moved away from him. “What? I can’t very well kiss you to let you know you’re forgiven while we’re standing out here in the pit lane.” She smiled at him, and laughed more genuinely now. “Although, that might solve the problem of anyone else trying to ask me out.”

“You are a _cheeky vixen_ Dr. Heywood. Whatever am I going to do with you?” He smirked at her.

She started walking toward the garages, but looked over her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll think of … _something_.” Her voice was low and teasing as she raised an eyebrow.

“I’m already thinking of something right now,” he answered lightly with a grin, and jogged over to where she was walking ahead of him. “I’m actually thinking of a few things.” He added as he got next to her. Then whispered in her ear. “ _Quite_ a few things.”

She held her poker face for the rest of the conversation. Right as they almost entered the garage, she stopped and turned to him. “Then… I suppose you should expect to be working _late_ into the night.” She could have ordering her favorite double espresso with her breakfast with the amount of expression she was using. Sidney on the other hand, saw through her comment, and was finding it hard to keep his smile to himself, let alone his eyes as they were wandering over Charlotte’s form. He had never thought the team uniforms were sexy, until she wore them. But she could make anything sexy he thought, and realized where he was again, making an effort to focus on looking at the mechanics instead of his Tech Director.

After another hour of discussion about the track in the control center with some of the other engineers, Charlotte shot an email to Jon back at headquarters with some information she wanted his team to analyze. William and Daniel were there working in the garage helping with the constructions, and would call her or Arthur if anything pressing came up. It was nearing 6 o’clock, and Arthur suggested they return to the hotel. Taking 2 vehicles, Arthur decided to ride with Michael and James to see if they had questions or concerns about his car, which left Babington with Charlotte and Sidney. Babington asked if they wanted to meet for dinner. But Sidney had other plans.

“Actually Babers, we have a reservation for an activity in half an hour. But we could meet you at 7:30 or 8. How does that work.” Charlotte looked at him with that line between her brows again. “It’s one of my surprises,” he explained quietly.

Not hearing that, Babers answered, “That would be perfect. Let’s go with 8. I can get a few things done, and then we can meet at the restaurant. I’ll call and make sure they have a table for us.” He started punching his phone screen and was talking with someone almost immediately.

“Reservation for an activity? What are you up to, Sidney Parker?” She asked.

“Surprise, remember?” And he grinned in response.

Back at the hotel Sidney opened the door to their suite. Everything had been cleaned and tidied, and there was a large basket on the table wrapped in clear cellophane with a bow and a card attached. She looked at him after she saw it and then walked over to the table. The card read,

_I think it’s time we admit that we’re jumping in the deep end._

_Time to swim – Sidney_

She smiled widely as she read it, and then looked at the basket. She could see colorful fabrics through the clear plastic cover, but when she untied the bow, there were four swimsuits of different sizes and styles, three different types of racing goggles, and three different types of swim caps. All of it was wrapped up in a large beach towel with the map of the city of Melbourne on it. Her smile grew as she was stunned by how thoughtful it was. She had told him how much she enjoyed swimming.

“But how?” Was all she asked.

“Well remember the pool here when Tom was talking about it? It’s one of the reasons we stay here. It’s a full 25-meter lap pool, and they let me reserve time for the use of it during the week.” He stepped closer to her. “And it’s your lucky day, because it has 2 lanes, and not just one. Not that I wouldn’t be willing to share,” He added. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I know you said it’s been awhile, but would you like to share my pool time with me?” He asked with a smile.

“I will be horribly out of shape and out of breath, but I would love to!” She reached up around his neck and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Oh, I’m so excited, I love swimming!” She turned back to the basket and pulled out the suits.

“I wasn’t sure on the sizes, so I asked Diana for some help. She agreed that a choice would be better, and I know how picky I am about my goggles, so there are a few for you to try. And the caps, Diana helped with that too. She said something about finding some for long hair. I didn’t even know that existed, honestly, but it makes sense.” His voice tapered off as he tried to explain his reasons behind everything in front of her.

“So, when do we go?” She asked eagerly. Stretching her muscles through the water after that flight, the physical exertions of last night and this morning, plus the long walk around the track had her feeling stiff and her shoulders were tight.

“Right now, the sooner the better. They keep a block of time open for me, but with dinner at 8, we should get down there as soon as possible.” She clapped her hands and took the basket with her to her room.

“I’ll try these on and I’ll be out as soon as I can,” she called back over her shoulder. It didn’t take long for her to pick one in a purple print that was nice and snug for swimming laps, and keeping her curves locked in place. She threw on a casual t-shirt dress she had, and a pair of trainers. She put the towel, goggles, and caps in her tote after removing everything out of it, remembered to grab a hair elastic and opened the door. Sidney was waiting, shorts over his suit, a t shirt on and a small duffel slung over his shoulder.

“Ready?” He asked.

She nodded yes, and off they went down to the fitness center. She could smell the chlorine as soon as they got off the elevator. It always calmed her in anticipation of getting in the water. Suddenly she was 12 again, and going to the pool for her swim lessons with Aunt Augusta. Eventually she practiced with the local swim team, but education was her priority so she never competed. Just swam for the love of how it felt to close out the world around you, under the water, and focus on the strokes and not anything else. The pool itself was palatial and beautiful, the mosaics on the bottom included two straight lines to keep swimmers headed in the right direction. It was thoughtfully planned.

_(Park Hyatt Melbourne Pool)_

“No wonder you chose this hotel, this pool is amazing!” She wasn’t speaking loudly, but the cavernous space, caused her voice to carry. She headed to the end of the pool, and set down the bag against the wall nearby to try and keep it from getting too wet. She found a cap that looked like it would work, and opened the goggles to try them on. The second pair fit best. She stood up and pulled the dress over her head, kicked off the trainers, and then tipped her head forward, bending at the waist. She grabbed her hair and tied it up with the elastic in a bun strategically placed on the crown of her head. Taking the cap, it took two tries, but the second time it pulled neatly from her forehead and over all of her hair. She was in the water before Sidney was, even after all of that preparation. Although, it might have been due to the fact that he was watching all of this in amusement. 

She looked so sure of herself and so confident in every choice and every move that she made. She was clearly not just an enthusiast. He hadn’t known what to expect, but preparing everything so surely, and swiftly, showed that she had spent many an hour in the water. If he had any doubts about his suspicions, they were put to rest as soon as she had hit the water. She adjusted the goggles, and got them wet before putting them on. She didn’t even wait for Sidney to start swimming. She sunk under the water next to the wall, facing the long white tile line in front of her, pushed with her feet off the wall, and streamlined a third of the way down the lane. When she came up, she rocked her head to the side, and took stroke after long stroke, swimming freestyle down the lane. One, two, breathe, one, two, breathe on the other side, one, two breathe. Her pace was rhythmic, and the pull was long and graceful while the kick was neat and tight.

He stood there with his hands on his hips. His T-shirt removed, his trainers off, his goggles in his hand, but he hadn’t gotten as far as removing his shorts before the mermaid goddess in front of him had started her process and stolen his attention. He watched as she executed a practiced flip turn at the other end of the pool, and returned toward where she had started, and nearer to where he was still standing. She swam in to touch the wall and paused to look for him.

“Well, aren’t you swimming?” She asked a little breathlessly.

“I was planning on it, but I’m starting to think I might just watch instead.” He said with a twinkle as he looked down on her. She removed her goggles to see him better.

“What are you waiting for?” She could not understand how anyone could be near this pool, have it reserved for their use, and not get in right away.

“I’m worried my lap times won’t make the cut.” He was teasing, he was an excellent swimmer, but she had really surprised him. “I mean, if I had known this was an Olympic qualifying event, I would have trained harder.”

She finally caught his sarcasm, shook her head at him, and shoved a large wave of water in his direction, getting his shorts soaked on the bottom. “C’mon you big sissy! Are you going to let a girl intimidate you?” She taunted him.

“This particular girl, yes. Yes, I am,” but he also pulled down his shorts to reveal his long tight navy-blue swim jammers, that looked to be stitched and molded for reduced drag as they reached right above his knee. He kept looking at her smiling face as he pulled on his goggles. He took a few steps to the edge of the pool in front of her. Smiling, he pushed off his toes, and executed a perfect shallow dive neatly over her head, sending the splash back toward her when he entered the water. He popped up 3 meters away from her, and shook the water with a flick from his hair.

“Excuse me sir, but this lane is already taken, you’ll have to use that one.” She teased, as she nodded her head to her left. He started to walk toward her, she started to re-fit the strap of her goggles around the back of her head, and pulled them until they sat on the front edge of her cap.

“You never told me you were such an accomplished swimmer.” He said as he approached her. “Very handy for living in a seaside town,” he kept talking.

“I told you I swam laps,” she explained.

He was walking toward her. “Yes, but my grandmother used to _swim laps_ ,” he added.

“Really Sidney, you should know me well enough to know that when I do something, I like to do it as well as I can.” She added in all seriousness.

He was almost in front of her now. He chuckled slightly at her comment. “Come to think of it,” he paused talking, but kept walking until he was standing almost against her but not touching her. “I have noticed that you do most things _exceptionally_ well.” He was speaking softly to her as they were so close, and his eyes were drinking her in.

“Only _most_ things?” She challenged him.

“Well, I haven’t seen you do _everything_ yet.” He drew his wet finger up the skin of her left arm, and watched how the water dripped down her smooth skin. Her breath was shallower now. “So, I can’t make a judgment on that.” His hand was trailing up to her shoulder. “I haven’t seen you cook, or drive, or … make paper airplanes,” he added jokingly. “Those things,” and his fingers trailed along her clavicle, skipping over the thin strap of her suit. He slid his fingers up her neck which caused her head to tilt up toward him. All of her hair was up, and her face shone without any embellishments. Her wide eyes were bright from the reflection of the water, and she looked up at him, completely at his mercy. “ _But…_ everything I have already experienced with you, has left me utterly bewitched.” His thumb traced the dimple in her chin, as his fingers stretched along her jaw, reaching toward her ear. The buoyancy of the water around her, only made her feel more unsteady. She closed her eyes, as he drew his thumb across her cheek, to cup the back of her head. He watched her, as he leaned down to kiss the water droplets from her lips. It was gentle, sweet. Tender. He gently pulled away.

“I always forget myself when I’m with you.” He whispered on her mouth, and then nuzzled his nose against hers. They were in much too public a place for him to start seducing her.

“Yes,” she breathed. “I am guilty of the same thing,” she thought back to the airport in Abu Dhabi, and nuzzled her nose against his. She looked up at him and gave her sweet smile.

“Perhaps we should swim some of these frustrations away,” he smiled.

She smiled back. “I don’t think they’ll go _away_ … but they might calm down a little in the water.” She added as she lifted her arms to put the goggles back over her eyes. He did the same and pushed off to the lane next to her still smiling.

“Just take is easy on me.” He teased. “I didn’t realize I’d be swimming with sharks today.” He smiled and sunk into the water and pushed off the wall.

Charlotte smiled and shook her head at his teasing, and followed suit. They swam back and forth, pulling and pushing the water around their bodies. Focusing on the sensation of their muscles, the stretch in their lungs from a long-held breath. The rhythm of their strokes and kicks. Charlotte practiced some of her other strokes to work the different muscles. She was weaker and more out of practice than she liked to be, but the muscles remembered the years of evenings in the swim lanes after her lessons and lectures at school. She paused to catch her breath more often than Sidney, but her strokes were cleaner and often faster. It was hard to change the cadence she had been used to when she was younger, and she pushed herself for a good half hour in the water. She slowed to warm down her muscles until Sidney was finished.

They dried off, and made their way back to their room. At Sidney’s suggestion, they took their shower together, to, “save time.” Their second shower of the day together. Charlotte had no objections save to use the shower in her room, so that she could use her shampoo to get the chlorine out of her hair. He was only too happy to assist with the soaping up of her luscious curls, and then, the soaping up of her luscious curves. Every opportunity he had to explore her, was a gift, and an opportunity. He watched as she reacted to his touch, and where. He noted what elicited the right head tilt, the right gasp, the right moan, and in the best moments, when she reached out to grab him as she lost her balance as the world swirled around her in pleasure. He knew the time, and he knew that some things would have to wait until later. He thought of all the things he would explore with her later in his bed _, their_ bed. Because wherever she slept, he would be next to her, and wherever that was, would be _theirs_. Claimed by the electrical field that encompassed them when they were together.

He had been so stupid earlier, he was committed to showing her how he felt, how he worshiped her. There was no other word. Every surprise she showed him about herself, only made her more worthy of his worship. It was, as if the universe had created for him the perfect woman. Except that she was even more perfect than he could have imagined in his wildest dreams. In all his imaginings, a woman such as this, could not have existed. He drew his hands up her foamy skin as he reached up to hold her head. His kiss covered her mouth with sensations she had never felt, with a depth of feeling she had never known, and he was showing all of himself to her in that kiss. He held on to her, giving himself to her freely, openly, and in a way that words could not convey. When he pulled back, he could not open his eyes. He was too scared to see if she understood, or if she didn’t.

Her hand caressing his cheek, and the stubble of his beard, reached up next to soften the worry line between his brows. “What has you worried, my Dearest,” she asked him loud enough to be heard above the spray of the shower. Her voice was soft. He laid his hand over hers on his cheek. Holding it, he turned his head to kiss her palm.

“I am overwhelmed,” he breathed into her hand. “My Darling,” and he finally opened his eyes to see the soft kindness in her wide intelligent eyes. With her other hand, she reached up to push the water out of his hair that was splashing down from one of the shower heads. She could see in his eyes, what he had felt in their kiss. She pulled him toward her, hoping that she could show him what he had shown her. Love, just without the words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like the photo of the actual pool at the hotel in Melbourne. It was, in fact, the reason I chose this hotel, and then the hotel chain. I love that water, in the original show, is such a big part in bringing them together. Swimming, the Cove, walking on the beach, the Regatta… I really wanted to bring some of that element (no pun intended) into this story. Not easy to do when it’s mostly about race cars 😊. Plus, I could have spent three full paragraphs describing that pool. Which seemed a shame when I was sure I would not be able to do it justice. It’s pretty spectacular! Also, I enjoyed adding a nod to "The Cove" series I co-wrote/am co-writing with Panstick.


	32. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments! I always love to hear your thoughts! It helps to see what the readers feel about the story and characters. ❤️😁  
> Not a long chapter, but I wanted to close this day before going into the rest of their week. Plus we get to visit some characters we haven't really checked-in with for awhile. Still not sure how I managed to get this one done while cooking for 3 straight days for Thanksgiving, but I guess I was inspired. Have a great weekend!

Chapter 32

Dinner

Babington had been waiting outside the restaurant. They were 7 minutes late. Texts were sent, none were answered, so when he saw Arthur with Clara, and then Crowe with Michael and James appeared, he persuaded them to join forces and tables to make a more interesting dinner party. Just as they were about to be seated, Sidney and Charlotte arrived hand in hand. Both of them full of apologies, and nothing but compliments for the hotel pool. He couldn’t be mad at them for being late. Their relationship was all so new, and frankly he thought, they were charmingly sweet with one another.

“No worries, but I did recruit a few more dining companions. Hope you don’t mind?” He didn’t really care if they did mind, it was what happens when one is late to a dinner date, he thought.

Sidney was smiling from ear to ear, and reassured him. Nothing could upset him right now.

“This should be fun!” Charlotte effervesced in front of George. He was almost taken aback by the ‘glow’ that seemed to surround her.

“I am happy to hear it, Charlotte,” he smiled at her, and the three of them followed the rest of the group to a back corner where the staff had combined a number of white linen-topped tables together.

Once Clara had seen her, she waved Charlotte over, and moved a seat inward so that Charlotte could sit next to her, and Sidney could sit on her other side at one end of the rectangular table. Babington sat opposite Charlotte, Crowe had tried to get closer to Clara, but she had already pulled Michael into sitting across from her. Crowe was on his right, which left James on her left, and Arthur at the other end. Sitting in the middle of the table, Clara felt that she had the best seat in the house. If there was going to be any drama at either side, she wouldn’t miss any of it. The first thing she heard was Sidney inquiring about Tom with Arthur at the opposite end.

“With Diana tonight. I think she is putting him through a work out in the gym, and has dinner arranged for him.” He said with a pleased grin. He was happy to not have either of them to contend with tonight. This table was a toss-up though, he thought. He looked around. Who was looking at whom, when the other one wasn’t looking? Who might be stealing glances? Sidney and Charlotte, as far as he could tell were the only ones. He did not need to see anything to know that Sidney and Charlotte were most likely holding hands under the table. ‘Safe space,’ he reminded himself. This was dinner, not the track, no reporters, and they certainly wouldn’t behave inappropriately in the restaurant seated with both of their brothers. At least he hoped they wouldn’t.

Charlotte was trying to keep her general excitement for life right now as quiet as possible. The menus were in front of them, and she finally had to let go of Sidney’s hand in order to hold it and make choices. She looked up above the top of the menu to see the table. She smiled proudly when she saw that her brother had made an effort, and had worn a new gingham patterned button up shirt, and had paid some attention to his hair. She looked over at Crowe, who appeared to be looking at Clara, but she was not looking back. Wondering what the history was there, she looked over at Clara. She always looked lovely, but the sheen of the bright blue of her slim fitting dress brought out the darker blue rim of her irises, making them a deeper blue than usual. 

“You look lovely tonight, Clara.” She shared with her, as she smiled.

Clara smiled in return, “Thank you Charlotte, as do _you_.” Charlotte had worn the same dress she had _tried_ to wear to dinner last night.

“Thank you, I had someone very _clever_ help me pick out this dress.” She added with an appreciative smile, and a playful look. Clara had plucked it off the rack in one of the many stores they had visited in London that day.

Clara tweaked her head with a wide grin, and leaned more closely to her, lifting the menu to hide what she was going to say from others at the table. “I was thinking more about the general glow you’ve have had about you since we arrived in Melbourne.” She flicked her long black lashes up to see Charlotte blushing. “Even at the track today. You were very composed, but there was no hiding it… from someone who knows…” She winked at Charlotte, and then lowered the menu away from her now straight face. “I think you should really try the lamb, Charlotte. If you like lamb. They prepare it very well here.” She was speaking louder now for the people around them to hear her talking, but her eyes were fixed on the menu.

Charlotte reached for her ice water and took a long gulping drink to try and cool the scarlet hue of her cheeks. Clearing her throat. “I think that’s a great suggestion Clara.” She added quietly. She glanced her eyes at Sidney on her right, who raised a brow as he looked at her and then to Clara and back at her again. The only thing she could do was find his knee under the table and pat the top of it reassuringly, as she took in a long clearing breath. That was all she could do to answer his silent inquiry, or in the hope to keep him silent on the subject.

There were conversations around the table about who was ordering what, did anyone want to share some wine and what should they get, and recommendations from those in the party that had been there before. The chatter was flowing freely, and soon the Shiraz that Babington had chosen from the wine list was flowing as well. Charlotte decided to share in the wine tonight. It would go well with the lamb she had ordered, because it really did sound like a specialty of the area. Plus, she could always blame any more blushes on the heat of the red wine, and not on anything else that could be causing her blood to rise. She did decide to take it easy though. No sense working her muscles in the pool just to dehydrate them with too much alcohol. She shook her head, with the thought that she was starting to sound like Diana in her mind when it came to nutrition. Fortunately, Clara got her attention and diverted it.

“Charlotte,” she said definitively, “Tomorrow morning, we shop.” She reached for her wine and took a sip as Charlotte absorbed this ‘subpoena to spend.’

“Well, I should probably check with Arthur…” She started to answer uncertainly.

“No need, I already asked him.” She said with a smile. “Tomorrow is the only day with nothing on the calendar. The garage will need you more on Thursday, and Arthur has promised to contact you if an emergency arises. Plus, you should still have the afternoon to work. Press conference is Thursday along with finalizing settings for Friday, and then that’s when the real ‘trouble’ starts. Wednesday is really our only day.” She saw Charlotte biting her lip as she thought about work. “I promise, I won’t keep you too long. But Charlotte, our hotel is just around the corner from _Collins Street_!” Clara said it with emphasis like Charlotte was supposed to know what that meant. The confused look on her face conveyed that she did not. She smiled politely. “They call this part of Collins street, ‘the Paris end.’ It’s beautiful, and some of the best designers have shops there, ones we didn’t get to visit in London. Plus, I am _dying_ to get you in some Dolce and Gabbana. Their clothes are simply _made_ for a figure like yours!” She emphasized.

If Clara could have had Barbie dolls growing up in her sparse childhood, she would have dressed them up constantly. Changing outfits and shoes multiple times a day. She did not have little luxuries like that. As an adult, she indulged in her naturally good taste for herself, and anyone who would allow her to help dress them. Charlotte had been a blank slate when she met her. The temptation to help her find her best style self was irresistible. It didn’t hurt that Charlotte had the salary to pay for it, and she loved to see someone present themselves in a way that bolstered their physical confidence. Something that Charlotte still sorely needed.

Charlotte heard a small but deep “hmmm” next to her, coming from Sidney. She looked over at him to see that ‘look.’ He had seen her reaction of surprise at his expression. “What?” He asked, and then leaned forward. “I’m dying to see you in some Dolce & Gabbana myself.” He whispered with a wink before leaning back slowly, turning his head and starting a conversation with Babington. Charlotte looked back at Clara, who had obviously seen and heard the entire encounter, raised her eyebrows cheekily at Charlotte’s blushing cheeks, and raised her wine glass to her in a salute.

“I think that means you have been released of any and all ‘previous obligations,’ Dr. Heywood. Tomorrow, we shop.” Clara was giddy with excitement and smiling widely. The weather looked fair, and the location was so close to their hotel. They would get one of the SUVs to accompany them to “carry” all of their purchases as they meandered down the wide street, and drop them from shop to shop to save some time if necessary. It really was so much more fun to have another girl on these trips, she thought. Diana would never have wanted to see what was at Bottega Venetta, find dresses at Dior, or try on shoes at Prada, let alone look for lingerie at French Bikini, one of her favorites stops while in Melbourne. It was further north from where they were going, but not by much, and it was a store that was definitely worth the extra trip. She was sure Sidney would be happy to spare Charlotte for an extra hour or two with the items she could bring back.

Charlotte smiled at her, more relaxed now as she held up her own wine glass to clink with Clara’s. “Tomorrow, we shop.” She repeated brightly, suddenly very excited at the prospect. Clara was right. The rest of the week was completely spoken for. This would be their only chance to have a moment away.

“Wonderful! Be prepared to spend an _obscene_ amount of money, Charlotte. I have a feeling it will be a _very_ productive day.” Her eyes twinkled at the prospect, and she tilted her glass to her lips enjoying the garnet red wine just as their plates were being set on the table. 

At the other end of the table, James was grateful that he really couldn’t see Charlotte from his vantage point. He could see Sidney if he wanted to, but he didn’t. He had been relieved that they had not sat near him, and when he started talking with Crowe and Arthur, they had been very generous with their experiences with the track. Crowe had raced on it in GP2, and had the occasional practice session over the years. Plus, he had used his race simulator on this track for years. He gave lots of ideas on racing lines to take through the various corners, and he wasn’t one of those driver’s that kept all his secrets to himself. Crowe spoke with Michael as well, and what had helped him with engineers and strategy in the past, and what hadn’t. Arthur added information about the car settings, how the tyres usually wear on the track, and what to expect under different weather conditions.

James was starting to feel like he was more a part of the team. The four of them had quite a bit to talk about, and it had made the meal go by easily. He had almost forgotten about Charlotte at the other side of the table. Almost, but not completely. He was sure it might take him some time to get to where he wasn’t thinking about her, especially since they were still working together. Not to mention that Michael resembled her, somewhat in his looks, but mostly in his facial expressions. They both looked so much like their father, and he thought about how much he missed Joseph Heywood’s guidance right now. His own father had disapproved of his racing, and it was only because of his uncle that he had been able to do carting, F4, and then F3 last year. Both his parents were teachers. His father’s parents had also been teachers. His mother had died when he was younger, and his father was determined that James would focus more on his studies than his “extra-curricular activities.” Join the “family business” of education. But James was not cut out for academia.

When he found Heywood Racing two years ago, and was signed with them, Joseph Heywood had practically been a second father to him. Helping and encouraging him in ways his own father hadn’t. He sometimes wondered if his feelings for Charlotte had stemmed from his existing relationship with her family. She had been gone pursuing her education, until last August when he finally met her. He stopped reminiscing and instead listened to more of Arthur’s funny stories from other races, and antics with the team. In that moment when Arthur was in his element, and Crowe and Michael were laughing along with him, James suddenly felt that he was in the right place. That things could actually be much, much, worse. Instead he was getting ready to do the one thing he had been fighting to do since he was a youngster. The Parkers didn’t seem so bad after all, and he hoped that it would stay that way.

Sidney had watched Clara and Charlotte talking. It was different to see her relaxing in the company of another woman, much like he had observed when they had dined with Esther. Diana was always so focused, that sometimes it was easy to forget that she was of the female persuasion. Looking at Clara and Charlotte, they talked differently together. They were relaxed and freely shared their thoughts and observations. He noticed Babington watching them as well, but with a different expression. “Babers? What’s eating you tonight?”

“Oh, just thinking.” He muttered vaguely and took another drink from his wine glass.

“Just thinking…” Sidney kept looking at him as George watched the wine swirling slowly in the bowl of his glass.

George sighed. “I am at a loss Sidney. Every time I think about approaching Esther again, either work keeps me too busy, or I can’t seem to muster the nerve to contact her.” He tilted the glass and took a long draw of the well-aerated wine, before setting it upright again.

“I think I can relate to exactly how you are feeling.” Sidney commiserated with his oldest friend.

“Yes, but you obviously found a way 'round that,” Babers finally looked at him and gave a small smile.

“Yes, I did, it’s called a paparazzi media scandal. _Hardly_ the way I wanted to approach the situation,” he replied dryly. Right now, he wanted to take the glass from George’s hand and have a long drink himself. Instead he steadied his uncomfortable memories with a deep and slow breath.

George chuckled. “True, not your finest moment, I dare say.” He smiled at Sidney. “But it did help you get what you wanted.”

“Ah!” He interrupted raising is hand and his eyes to George. “It forced me to _understand_ what I wanted. I was lost and….” He was shaking his head. “ _Completely_ out of my depth. I do not have your… understanding, old friend.” At that he reached for his sparkling water, it would have to do in this moment of need. He looked back up at his friend as he added more wine to his glass from the bottle on the table. “When was the last time you spoke with her?”

“The last time I played golf. I’ve been there a few times, ran into her and Lady Denham the first time, and just her the last time.” It had been a short interaction, as George had been called for his tee time with the golf pro. He asked after her health, and after her aunt. Before he could endeavor to ask about his expected tour of the wine cellar, he was summoned to the first tee. He swirled the new wine in his glass, watching how it clung to the bowl, and how the light shone through it, highlighting its color. “The last time was… very brief. I need to make a plan. I almost had one, and then work got in the way.”

He inhaled deeply and exhaled. He tilted the glass to his nose after he stopped the swirling, and inhaled for the bouquet of the wine. It tickled his nose with the tannins, the scent of oak and tart cherries, and the alcohol lifting from the narrower opening at the top of the glass. It was quite enjoyable, he thought. Might send a couple cases home… and _home_. Owning two houses was ridiculous. The fact that he also had a family home on a large plot of land in the middle of London, in addition to the other two, was even more ridiculous. Most noble families had lost their shirts between the damage done by the two world wars, and the astronomical death taxes. Not his though. No. Less than honorable practices in the previous generations had kept the Babington line flush with cash. There were gold mines and diamond mines in South Africa. A heavy interest at the peak of the Ivory trade, sugar cane from Caribbean Plantations, tea from India, and some inside information in the development of the railroads. _Many_ inside tips, and then continued unscrupulous choices in the stock market before the big crash in New York. Selling early and walking away with a mint. His grandfather was the one to start divesting from those endeavors, but selling them had put more cash into the coffers. Often, he sold right before those businesses turned south, just out of pure dumb luck. And that didn’t even include the successful race-horse breeding program his own father had started as a “hobby,” in addition to his investment in Parker Racing. Here _he_ was, working to make even more money to add to the pile, just to keep the family “pile” intact. They breathed, and the money seemed to fall into their laps.

It was a heavy load to bear. The size of the inheritance, and the monstrous guilt. The greatest majority was entailed, and there was not much he could do to dismantle it even if he tried to. He had already looked into it, but his homes and the estate still employed many people. He tried to focus on that, the present and not the past. Instead he donated a lot of his money. Causes to vaccinate in third world countries. Medcins Sans Frontieres got a hefty yearly allowance. The Red Cross, Unicef, Amnesty International, efforts to preserve the rain forests, climate change initiatives. Melinda Gates, Bono, and the Clooneys were in his contacts list, and he took all of their phone calls, “writing checks” when asked without a second thought of the cost, or to seek recognition. It was penance, or payment, for the decisions made generations before him. Now he was sitting in Melbourne looking at the red wine in his glass, thinking of the red-head in Sanditon he had been unable to figure out how to reach. He smiled slightly as he thought of her. That was what he had found so intriguing. She always seemed a few steps ahead of everyone around her. That, and she was gorgeously magnificent. An English Rose, with equally sharp thorns. He chuckled thinking of it.

Sidney was his only friend who knew the details of all of it. He was the only one who wouldn’t laugh at him for complaining that he was wealthy beyond scope. For having to deal with it all. Sidney had turned back toward Charlotte and was whispering something to her as their heads were practically touching now. He could see that his hand brushed gently against her arm. They shared something funny as they both laughed and looked only at each other. As much as he had given him a hard time, Sidney had surprised him. He hadn’t seen him like this since he was 20, if he had _ever_ seen him like this at all, he thought. _He_ wanted that. _He_ wanted to find a way to reach Miss Esther Denham. He also decided that he wanted to ask Charlotte for some advice, but this was not the place or time. Maybe on the plane back, he thought. Plenty of down time there for a serious conversation. Yes, he would talk to her when the timing was right. Somehow the promise of that conversation, to help bring about _another_ conversation made him feel lighter. That, plus the Shiraz in his glass, might have had something to do with it.

As the evening wore on, the conversation slowed. The effects of the traveling, the anticipation for the week ahead, the large meal, and for most of the table the wine was also making their beds seem very inviting. Arthur managed the check through the team’s expense account, and with the last flourish of his pen, the group started to stand and move toward their rooms. Once they were headed upward, Charlotte and Sidney stood with their backs to the far end of the elevator, waiting for the rest of their party to leave and walk towards their rooms first. Babers, Arthur, and Clara where also on this floor. Elsewhere on the same floor, Diana was certainly asleep early after helping Tom. They knew the others would all be aware that they were sharing a suite, but all the same, it was different if your co-workers saw you walking into the same hotel room together.

Sidney grabbed her hand and pulled her gently behind him once he had given the others a head-start to reach their rooms. No one was looking at them, and he heard the heavy doors open and close down the corridor. His reflexes and movements were always on the quick side, but the desire to be with her in their room had the door unlocked, opened, closed, and latched in record time. He turned with his back to the door, in time to watch her walk into their room. That dress would be forever seared in his memory from the night before. Those shoes… His thoughts made his lips curl up in something like a smile, but his eyes revealed that it wasn’t a reaction of joy, but of something else.

The lights in their room were low, with only some recessed lights above the fireplace, and distant lights from the bathrooms were on. Charlotte tossed her small clutch on the table, and bent her knee to draw her foot up behind her, reaching down with a gentle twist of her waist to find the strap on the back of her ankle. Her hand never reached it. Sidney moved behind her. His hand running up her arm with the lightest touch. His whisper, “Darling,” in her right ear stilled her and forced the strappy heeled shoe back down to the carpet. He kissed along the rim of her ear, working his way downward. He heard her breathing change when his fervent lips reached her neck. His fingers trailed down both of her arms. He could taste her light citrus perfume on his tongue. Gripping the skin on her neck lightly between his teeth, he elicited a shocked but pleasurable reaction from her own lips, and devoured more deeply into the space where the side of her neck met her shoulder. Causing more gloriously unrestrained sounds from her, he smiled as his teeth grazed gently over the top of her shoulder, as his hand moved her dress to the side. She was truly the most exciting woman he had ever been with. Either she was surprising him with her own inventiveness, or she reacted in ways he couldn’t have expected from her. Perhaps it was the cut and angle of all of her curves. The symmetry of her seductive physical allure. It was all of those things, or the fact that he enjoyed all of it more with her than he had with any of the multitudes of women he had been with before. He cared how she reacted, and about what she wanted. When he got it right, it was like standing on that middle platform of the podium, winning over and over again. That same thrill was a result of connecting with, and pleasing her, and inspired his every thought while in her presence.

Charlotte didn’t lose her balance when her foot was up to take off her shoe. She lost it when she felt Sidney’s hot breath on her ear, and she never fully regained it. He touched her arms and she leaned in to him. Her shoulders back, and braced against the wall of muscle that was his chest. Her head could no longer support itself as he fed along the length of her neck and shoulder as his fingers pried her dress out of his way. She heard sounds emitting from her mouth she had never uttered before. His other hand now held her her head further back and to the side as he leaned forward, letting his lips and his teeth move to the front of her neck, and her reaction was immediate. Louder, and pitched higher than before, she was not going to be able to take these attentions standing for much longer. He must have known, as he slid his left arm around her stomach, practically holding her up as his hand was splayed on top of her diaphragm.

He could feel the hitched breaths she was taking through the soft fabric of her dress. He leaned further back to take more of her weight against him, and drew both of his hands down her stretched stomach, down past her hips, reaching until he gripped the front hem of her skirt. The scoop neck and stretchy fabric was forgiving, as he pulled it up and easily over her head. It hadn’t taken him long to have her in his arms, and practically naked, but he was still intent on taking his time. However, when he saw the simple black satin bra and tiny knickers she now had leaning against him, and knowing that her strappy heeled sandals were still on, he was not going to be able to hold back much longer.

He wouldn’t have to. Charlotte turned toward him, standing on her own, and clasping her fingers on each side of his button up shirt, pulling him down. Her lips opened to embrace his lips forcefully, as she held on to his shirt in her fists, and onto his mouth with her tongue. She kept pulling to keep his face at the same height as hers. She only released his shirt to reach for his buttons, slowly undoing one at a time as she continued to tease his lips with her delicate kisses. As she stood there undoing his shirt, he reached for his belt, lowering himself to keep the connection of their lips intact as he removed his pants and kicked off his shoes. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders, as her fingers on his skin left him sighing in her mouth. He wanted to feel her skin against his. After he was finally free of his shirt sleeves, his right arm pulled her around the waist, pressing her to him. Her breath left at the sudden pressure against her lungs. His hold was so tight, she pulled to support herself from his shoulders and around his neck. Sidney smiled against her mouth.

“What are you smiling about Mr. Parker,” she teased, holding back from smiling herself. Instead she took the opportunity to move her lips to the space where his jaw met his neck, tilting his head back, and drawing a deep sigh from his lips.

“Oh, Charlotte…” He moaned as he stumbled back and had to loosen his grip on her to keep them from falling.

“Losing your balance, Mr. Parker,” she teased as she moved her lips and tongue against his neck again.

“Losing a lot more than my balance, Dr. Heywood,” he chuckled as he planted his feet and leaned over her. She pulled back as his position had changed, and looked up into his dark eyes. They seemed larger as they looked at her in the dim light.

She finally smirked back at him. “Like what, Mr. Parker?” Her lashes blinked slowly. The languid effects of the wine still working.

He leaned closer, his voice deeper and surer. “My patience.” His eyes searched her until he saw them soften for just a flash. That was the only cue he needed. He pulled her up by her hips as she yelped in surprise, laughing and wrapping her legs around his waist, still hanging on to his neck. They were right next to her room, and on instinct he walked to the closest bed. He kneeled one leg forward on the mattress as her arms loosened their grip from his neck. She melted onto the duvet as he stepped back. This time, he removed his boxers first. She bent and then stretched out her left leg, pointing one foot up toward him. “Won’t you help me take these off?” She tilted her head, smiling coyly up at him. He took her ankle, and braced the sole and heel of the delicate sandal against his chest as he looked at her. He slowly shook his head no.

His mouth curled into a sideways grin. His deep controlled voice broke through the quiet, and she could feel the sound travel down her leg and into her chest. “I’ll be taking only _two_ more things off of you, Dr. Heywood… they will _not_ be your shoes.” His eyes danced playfully before he moved her ankle to rest up on his shoulder, turning his head to kiss just above the strap, again nipping gently at her skin. He leaned forward kneeling back down on the bed, and walked his arms up the mattress to draw himself closer to her. Her leg followed as it slid up his shoulder. “Now, Dr. Heywood,” he whispered. “Which goes first? Top or bottom?” His face was nearly above hers as his arms kept pulling him closer, his eyes conveying his want in very direct terms. 

She breathed in deeply at the sight of him, his eyes roaming over her body and her face, waiting for her answer. Her left leg stretched further as her the top of her calf was securely braced against the muscles of his shoulder. She could not believe in this moment that this was her life, and yet somehow what should have been a dream, _was_ her life. She let her eyes run over his face. Mimicking his sideways grin, she leaned up on her elbows enough to get closer to him. “Gentleman’s choice,” she whispered slyly before she leaned up to kiss his neck once again. She caught his eyes as she gracefully lowered herself back down. Her teasing grin had grown as she watched him almost pant in anticipation. She could not help from biting her lower lip, impatiently curious as to what kind of plans he was making. Whatever they were, she was more than willing.


	33. Purpose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience, but I did make it a long chapter for you to hopefully enjoy. Thank you again for all your support and kind words, they really mean so very much, and help when I'm feeling stuck. The Sanditon Sisterhood (and brotherhood) Rocks!!

Chapter 33

Purpose

Charlotte stretched her arms in a straight line above her head, locking her hands together to stretch further as she slowly rolled over onto her back. Sidney was no longer in her bed, and she looked to the clock on the nightstand that blinked as it turned the time over to 7:07 am. By her standards, and most certainly Sidney’s, it was late. She knew that Clara was expecting to leave just before 9, when the shops would open for business. She heard the bathroom door in Sidney’s room open. They had doors to their bedrooms, but they had barely used them, choosing instead to keep their lives open to each other. She leaned up on her elbows in time to see him walking from the steamy bathroom, into his bedroom with only a towel around his waist. She bit her lower lip just from the view, and then smiled as she recalled the night before. She sat up further, and the movement caught Sidney’s eye as a small towel in his hand was rubbing the water from his hair. His wide grin grew into a wide smile as he saw her sitting up in her bed looking at him. Wrapping the towel in his hand around the back of his neck, he walked straight across the lounge of their suite and directly towards her bed. “Their” bed from last night.

He arrived at her side, smiling down at her, and the place where he had elicited unreserved sounds of extreme pleasure from her just hours before. Those memories in his mind forever, he hoped. Reaching down with his right hand he cupped her face, tilting it up towards him. Without any warning or even words, he leant over and kissed her passionately and fully on her mouth. Her perfect pink lips… She reached up with her hands for a moment to hold the ends of the towel hanging in front of his chest, and he hummed lightly before pulling back to see her. Her hands fell slowly from the towel, and her eyes were still closed. Her neck extended up toward him, and the sheet she’d had covering her had fallen away, leaving her exposed to the waist in her nakedness, and leaving him struggling with the schedule he had in front of him for the rest of the day. The hum turned to a groan of frustration as he looked down at her, feeling the warmth of her rising to him. It was like standing in front of a roaring fire. His legs weakened and he sat down on the edge of the mattress next to her, unable to resist.

Her lashes fluttered open to look at him. “I was sure that I was still asleep, and you were just a dream,” she said sleepily as she smiled softly.

“I assure you, my Darling, it is I who is dreaming.” He took the towel from his own neck, and looped it around her bare shoulders, pulling the loose ends to hold her close as his kisses became more urgent. He finally let go of the small towel as his low voice rumbled something unintelligible but determined, before aiming his lips for her neck, and wrapping her soft skin tightly in his arms. Her warmth on his chest still damp from the shower was like a charge that he could not resist. Her hands now pulled his wet hair to cling to him as his mouth continued to explore the bareness in front of him.

“Definitely not a dream,” she whispered breathlessly as her head fell back in rapture from his touch, and he dipped her further toward the pillows behind her to give himself better access. “Sidney, Dearest…” She tried to say something more, but her thoughts went blank as the rest of the sheet was ripped away, along with the towel around Sidney’s waist.

***

Charlotte had finally made her way down to the breakfast buffet. Her hair still a little wet from the shower, and ravenous from all her recent activities. Going shopping with Clara did sound like fun, and maybe it was a good way to distract her from the pressures of the week, although she knew it was only temporary. Sidney was off working with Diana today, so it was good that they would finally be distracted from one another with different responsibilities and events for the day. She was quite sure that Sidney would be able to stay amorously in bed with her all day, if they were given the chance. The thought of that possibility caused her to close her eyes longer than usual to compose herself. Shaking herself out of her daydreams, she assembled a full plate, ordered her required amount of espresso and steamed milk, and ate quickly knowing that Clara would be meeting her to leave soon.

Clara: Hey lady, were R U?

Charlotte: Just finishing at the buffet

Clara: OMW

Clara walked into restaurant and quickly spotted Charlotte as she waved her over to her small table. She noticed that she had dressed all in black. Black cropped pants, a fitted black V-neck sweater, and very low, black kitten heels with small leopard print accents at the toe and the heel. She smiled to herself, so proud of her style protégé. “Morning, lovely! Don’t you look nice!” She said as she leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, as Charlotte smiled up at her still chewing some of her breakfast. Clara motioned for the waiter and order a single shot of espresso as she sat down. She was equally chic in a red shirt dress that belted tightly around her waist with a flared skirt that hit just below her knee. “Very Audrey Hepburn,” she added with a smile.

Charlotte raised her brows as she swallowed the bite in her mouth. “Yes, well, I’ve discovered that when I’m unsure about what to wear, I simply wear black. Or at least all one color.” She shrugged. “Might be a bit boring, but it’s also uncomplicated.”

“No, I think it’s a good look on you,” Clara agreed. “Besides, with your lovely curly hair, and that enviable figure, too much embellishment would just be unnecessary.” Clara tilted her head to look at her as she tried to finish her meal quickly. “Slow down, we aren’t in a hurry,” she added with a smile. Indeed. Simple did work well for Charlotte’s style. Chic and elegant, but her figure might not be considered elegant by industry standards. Her lovely curves spoke “bombshell” instead of “willowy.” Bombshells did not need to add much to stand out and be noticed, as long as what she wore was well-fitted. “Yes,” she pondered out loud as she examined Charlotte discerningly. “Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot… You have a lot in common with those women. They were a lot smarter than some people gave them credit for, and still looked like the most beautiful women in the room.” Charlotte’s eyes widened as she sat up straight. Clara didn’t see her reaction as she was leaning away from the table as her espresso was placed in front of her, and she thanked the waiter. She added the tiniest sprinkle of raw sugar into the rich coffee, and used the miniature spoon on the saucer to stir the steaming cup. “We will need to stop to get more coffee while we are out. They take great pride in their coffee here, it’s really a treat,” she said as she looked up at Charlotte’s face again. “It’s just _coffee_ , Charlotte, no need to look so shocked.”

Charlotte did a quick blink to return to reality. “No, I’d love more coffee later… I was just processing what you said before.” She would have never thought to put herself in any category that included Sophia Loren, other than ‘brunette.’ “I’ve always considered my figure to be rather… unfashionable. It can be difficult to find clothes sometimes.”

Clara blew on the top of her cup, it was still too hot to drink, and she smiled and shrugged a little. “Fashions change constantly. None of us can fit all of those ideals all the time,” she added simply. “Besides, finding what works for you is always in style.” She smiled and finally attempted a small sip from her cup. Successful, she took another, and chuckled slightly. “Besides, I don’t think _Sidney_ seems to mind your figure. I would dare to say he can barely take his eyes off it, if dinner last night was any indication.” She looked up through her lashes as she grinned. Charlotte blushed from the memories of the night before, and again this morning, and bit her lower lip.

She spoke softly as she kept her eyes down on her plate. “No, I would say that you are probably right Clara.”

“Ha! No ‘ _probably’_ about it, Charlotte! I’ve never seen him smile as much as he has in the last few days.” Clara smiled again. “It’s really rather _sweet_ , actually. I didn’t know that Sidney had it in him.” She set her cup carefully back on its saucer and looked back at Charlotte. “I take it things are going well so far?” She was a little concerned. Their backgrounds and experiences were so different. She breathed a little better when she saw Charlotte’s unrestrained smile.

“I had no idea that I could, or ever _would_ , feel this way about someone. I know it’s very new, but… so far, I am very happy.” She looked at Clara, hiding none of her feelings in her open expression. At least she knew that Clara was on their side, and grateful that she had someone to talk to while they were traveling.

“I am gratified to hear that, Charlotte.” Her eyes twinkled with something akin to mischief, but also reminiscent of seduction with a raised eyebrow. “Finish up your breakfast, we have a mission this morning. Poor Sidney won’t know what to do with himself, with what I _hope_ we will be able to find for you today.” She almost giggled with excitement.

The large SUV was waiting for them out front, with the driver and a security officer, just as when they arrived. Clara wasn’t kidding when she said that the shops started around the corner from their hotel. The Hyatt was nestled near a park, a cathedral, and across the street from the old Parliament buildings. Down the street was the former treasury building that sat right at the top of Collins Street. All of them, imposing Victorian buildings from when Melbourne was the capitol of the country. Now it serves as the capitol of the province of Victoria, but the original empirical architecture still dotted the businesses and neighborhoods with their intricate designs. Most of the shops Clara wanted to take Charlotte to were on the left side of the street. They discussed where they wanted to spend their time, and Clara made suggestions. Save the Armani store for London, Hermes- probably not what Charlotte wanted, but Prada was the next one they saw, and Clara almost jumped out of the car as she held onto Charlotte’s hand, pulling her along.

They quickly found some cashmere and silk sweaters, as well as sweater dresses, that Clara explained would be easy to pack for some of the colder races. A few high quality tees, a new skirt for Clara, and a good black nylon cinched jacket for Charlotte, for when she didn’t want or need to wear the team gear. Fendi was down the block, so they walked there after putting their bags in the car. Clara splurged on a gold lurex knit gown, that was cut almost to her navel with a structured neckline and thin halter straps that reached behind the neck and down the open back. Her golden hair, and cream skin glowed with the metallic dress, and Charlotte agreed that she would be crazy not to buy it. Charlotte found a Sophia Loren worthy midi dress of satin and lace in black. The bodice was stitched almost like a corset but with much more modern styling, and the lace covered the top of her breasts and tapered into the slim straps. It could use a shorter hem to suit her height, but it was perfect in every other way. Charlotte did decide that she did not want items with logos printed on them, which left a lot of items that were available in the store on the “no” list.

They checked in at Gucci for some small leather items and accessories, and checked what they had in ready to wear. The elegant Louis Vuitton corner shop, was a beautiful stone Victorian building, and they couldn’t resist looking at their non-logo clothing items, finding some fun colorful separates for Spring. They had more luck with the sleek and sculptural items at Bottega Venetta, where Charlotte found a drapey bright orange, almost red, dress that had a thin strapped racer back, that dipped in the back all the way below her waist. It was a simple column dress, but her figure filled out the bias cut of the dress in a whole new way. Clara convinced her to get the same dress in black, adding, “believe me, you will need date-night dresses by the dozen.” She plucked both her sizes and colors from Charlotte’s hands to hold on to them herself, so Charlotte wouldn’t change her mind.

The shoe department also yielded a trove of items to choose from. Just looking at the strappy sandals in various colors and backless open-toed mules, had her directing the shop staff to finding her size in different colors. “I saw my friend Esther wearing bright shoes with a black dress. I thought she looked so elegant. What do you think?”

Clara looked at her with a tilt of her head. “Esther…? Esther Denham?” She repeated.

“Yes, do you know her? We met at University.” Charlotte was surprised that Clara knew her, but they did both live in Sanditon, so maybe she should have guessed that they did.

Clara nodded quietly. “I know her, or... of her. We only met a couple times.” Clara looked down and away and then licked her lips and pressed them together, before speaking softly. “I knew her brother Edward.” She took a deep breath and looked to see Charlotte’s reaction, and looked away again. “We dated for almost a year, he even introduced me to the Parkers, helping get my first job there.” She looked back up at Charlotte with some panic in her eyes. “Do they still talk? Esther and Edward?”

Charlotte noticed how uncomfortable and quiet Clara had suddenly gotten. “I don’t believe so, no.” Clara nodded at that information.

“That’s good.” She sounded relieved. “He is truly a…” she shook her head with short movements, trying to find the words, her eyes wide.

Charlotte put down the gold strapped evening sandal she was holding and walked over to her, laying her hand on Clara’s arm. Clara looked at her and gave a small grin, her eyes were a little wet. “Clara,” Charlotte whispered. “Are you OK? I only met Edward a few times years and years ago, then we graduated, and I was getting ready to go to Boston when things started to go badly for them…” She paused as she watched Clara breathe slowly, and then lift her head high in defense mode to snap out of it. Charlotte remembered Esther’s desperate phone call almost 3 years ago. How she yelled and screamed through her tears about her brother, and how he had betrayed them. Stealing from them, and making disastrous choices with the Denham fortune. How she thought that everything was lost.

Clara’s bright blue eyes, looked at Charlotte. “I have met _very_ _few_ good men in my life, Edward was _certainly not_ one of them. The best thing he did for me was to help me find my job, but he played so many games… He cheated on me more times than I could count, and he lied to everyone, _everywhere_. He lost sooo much money for his family. He was going to help me with my finances once I started working at Parker’s, so I really dodged a bullet there. I think he was skimming money from all of his clients. I don’t know how he’s not in prison.” She walked toward the shoes on display that Charlotte had been looking at, picking up the red version of the same sandal to look at before she looked back at Charlotte. “You know, he almost ruined the Parkers. Did you know that?” Charlotte’s eyes grew large, and shook her head no. “His aunt had a lot of money invested in Parker Racing. She lost so much capital that any future investments for the team were lost. From what I understand… it was significant. I don’t know how they found the money, but they found enough to keep going during those tight years. That was when I had just started, so I did a lot of spinning with the press, deflecting the questions, then I helped with schmoozing potential investors when Tom needed it. I know many of the lower staff were let go temporarily, until they got back on their feet.” She turned the shoe around in her hands and she ran her fingers along the soft leather of the straps and on the sole of the shoe. “Of course, things are a lot better now. But Edward almost destroyed the whole town, as well as his family.” She put the shoe back and wandered to look at another style.

Charlotte was stunned, she spoke softly. “I had absolutely no idea it was that bad! Esther told me from her side, how they almost had to sell part of the estate land until they found their own investors to essentially ‘buy’ the golf course in order to run it. She had to use everything she had learned in school to keep the hotel and club open. Everything she had to do, only made her hate her brother, _step-brother_ , more.” Charlotte had no idea the wake of debt and near disaster that Edward had left behind him. Esther never spoke of him anymore, and she had never shared the extent of the injuries to her Aunt’s interests other than that one dreadful phone call. That wouldn’t have been Esther’s way. One great breakdown, and then chin-up and get on with it.

Clara looked back at her with sad eyes. “Esther and I didn’t really get along, but that was really all about Edward.” She paused. “Would you… would you ask Esther… about… well I didn’t know you were friends. I don’t know how she would feel if we spent time together.” She exhaled and looked resigned to whatever her fate was. Like she had been here before.

Charlotte approached her, and laid her hand on her arm. “Clara, if you want me to talk to her I will, but I’m not going to, what? Ignore you? Forget all the help you’ve given me? All you did to help Sidney and me? Like I said, I will talk to Esther, if you want me to.” She shook her head. “But you and I are still friends.” She made sure to catch Clara’s eyes. It was such a strange shift. Clara had always been so strong, so determined and cool under pressure. She had always seemed to function as though she was making choices based on an internal sense of purpose. It only showed how much damage Edward Denham had left in Sanditon, and how many people were affected. The Parkers included, apparently.

Charlotte decided that it was time to change the subject once Clara looked at her relieved, and nodded. She walked back over to the sandals she had been looking at. “Now. Which do you think? The gold sandal with the orange dress, or the black one?”

Clara raised her brows with a large blink of her blue eyes. Shook her head in disbelief. “With _both_ Charlotte.” Then she winked and they both let a small laugh of relief, as they let it take over the atmosphere of tension. Then in all seriousness she added. “But get them in red as well.”

The real jackpot was hit at the golden yellow storefront of Dolce and Gabbana. Clara knew what she was talking about, and this store was almost twice as big as the others on the street. It also housed their men’s line, but the choices were almost too much for Charlotte to handle. Every fitted, short, midi, corset, sheath, black, red, white, yellow, and even a strapless navy pinstripe, dress that she tried on seemed like it was made for her. She almost had a panic attack trying to make a choice. Every single one of them was one that she wanted. The emerald green jersey dress that knotted with a twist at the waist, and reached the bottom of her calves, with the deep plunging V-neck was one that she wanted to take home immediately once she put it on. When Clara saw her in it, she started to fan herself, and insisted that it make the final choices pile. It was a dilemma she had never really faced. How badly did she want to look good for her boyfriend, and also for herself? And how much was she willing to spend to do it? She decided she would limit herself to 5, and couldn’t believe she was going to spend this much money, but once she had put these dresses on, she did not know how she would forget about them if they didn’t end up in her closet.

If the dresses were an experience in self-discipline, the shoes almost brought her to tears of panic. The options seemed endless. She finally tried all of the ones on that she liked, put in an order that would be sent from the London store to her home, as well as some of the dresses once she decided 5 was simply an arbitrary number, and ended up choosing 8. She bought several on site, including two black dresses, the strapless pin stripe, and the green jersey dress because she didn’t want to let it out of her sight, and picked up a couple pairs of shoes for the rest of the trip. With her card swiped, and her head spinning at the total, she wasn’t sure how much more she could take.

Clara wanted one more stop at Dior, before they stopped for a snack and coffee. Charlotte looked around the lovely shop, but felt satiated after her experience at D&G. Clara located some pieces that she had been hoping to find, including some high heeled polished calfskin knee-high boots. Charlotte understood the appeal once she had seen them. Clara also found a few skirts, and trendy tops. They both wanted the rose gold slingback heels, and they both found different trainers that would dress up a casual outfit. The car dropped them off at the Ganache Chocolate Café, where they sat outside at the red tables of the sidewalk seating area. Looking around, it almost did look a bit like Paris, except for the efficient electric tram system that ran up and down the middle of Collins street, depositing and picking up passengers as it went.

Sipping their flat whites and nibbling sweet chocolate confections from the menu, they both took a moment to breathe and process the eventful morning. Attempting to focus on more cheerful topics, Charlotte remarked on all the beautiful original Victorian architecture that was still standing between the polished modern office buildings and hotels. An interesting mix of new and old, and it all seemed to work together. “I have to say Clara, I’ve never really wanted to, or been able to embrace my more girly side,” she said with a smile. “Thank you. I’ve always been so focused on where I was going, and what I was learning, and what was next…” She drifted off, thinking of all the things she had already done in her life, except something like this.

“I think you are adapting to it quite well, Charlotte.” Clara smiled. “But our most important stop is yet to come.” With that, the twinkle in Clara’s eyes had finally returned to their original sparkle, and Charlotte was happy to see it.

“Where exactly are you taking me?” Charlotte asked with some skepticism.

“Don’t worry.” She leaned forward with an excited whisper. “You. Will. LOVE. It!” Clara loved this part of her Melbourne trips. Every year, French Bikini was a very high priority.

When they arrived in the SUV in front of the lovely grey stucco building with the elegant wrought iron sign, Charlotte was intrigued. When she saw the lace and silk items they had on display in the windows, she understood why Clara was so intent on stopping there. Once inside the choices again were like trying to pick your favorite sweets in the candy shop. The colors, and textures, and shapes were all so exciting and enticing. The silk pajamas, slips, and robes could not be ignored, but before anything could be tried, they were both properly fitted by the ladies on staff, to ensure that they were getting the right size and style. With Charlotte’s ample cup size, they were all excited to help her find items that would best suit her. Clara was easier to fit, and as she had been there before, she already knew some of the brands she wanted. Clara may have let it slip that Charlotte had a high-profile job on the technical end of an F1 team, and the ladies were even more eager to help. When all their purchases were boxed and bagged up, they made Clara and Charlotte promise to return and seen them again next year.

They sat in the back seat with the mound of items behind them in the back of the SUV for the short ride back to the Hyatt. “Clara, that was all simply amazing. I mean, I’m worn out, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to go shopping again after all that. But that was an exhilarating morning. Thank you. Really.” And Charlotte reached for her hand and squeezed it. At the hotel, two luggage carts were summoned, and the purchases were split between their owners. After looking at the pile stacked high, and garment bags hanging from the brass trolley, Charlotte shook her head. “I’m going to need another suitcase,” she muttered.

Clara smiled at her. “Don’t worry, we’ll find something. If you don’t have time, we can ask the concierge to find it for you, and they will just charge it to you.” She had said it all with a wave of her hand. No big deal. Charlotte was not sure she would ever get used to living like this. But really, she wasn’t going to shop at every race. Not each place had a shopping district like that, and she had to remind herself that she was starting all of this with clothes that a college student wore. What had Clara said on their way to London? Oh yes, “If she wanted to be taken seriously, she needed serious clothes.” Now that she had some, she wouldn’t need to constantly replenish them. Not to this degree anyway. At least she hoped she wouldn’t. For something that looked like it should be nothing but fun, it was actually quite a lot of planning and work to make it look effortless.

With some help, Charlotte was able to bring all the items into her bedroom in the suite, she tipped the bell-hop, and started organizing some of her new things. She changed into her work gear, a little sad that she wasn’t able to wear any of her new items, but it was time to change gears. Arthur had been keeping her in the loop about what was going on, and she sent him a note to meet her for lunch. After arranging some food from the hotel to bring to the track, she also texted Michael and Babington to get some of the engineers to meet for lunch as well. Her personal work items were in her tote, the call for one of the cars to be available was made, and she did one last check to make sure she had what she needed. Leaving her bedroom, the suite door opened and Sidney entered with Diana right behind him, fresh from his first work outs of the day. Diana had boxed meals in her hands, they were clearly going to have lunch as well, and get started on what was probably more of his strength training.

“Charlotte, you are looking well,” Diana remarked with a smile, and a small punch to her brother’s back in front of her. She had been teasing him about his lack of focus all morning, in addition to the stupid grin he had almost every time she stopped to look directly at him. In the pool swimming laps, he was smiling as he came up for air. Running on the treadmill, he was smiling as he looked down at the control panel. Rowing on the machine, he was definitely smiling. A wistful, in another world kind of smile, as he stared at some unknown place in the distance. He was still working hard, but he had really struggled with his focus, which had left Diana a little concerned for the week ahead. Perhaps the deep tissue work of the weight training would help. That definitely required focus. At the same time, she had never seen him so happy. Maybe winning on the Karting circuit when they were kids. He really loved that, before everything changed. Other than those memories, she could not recall her brother ever smiling so much. Diana found the situation equally as encouraging for his future, as she found it frustrating in the present with their work.

Sidney dropped his duffel on the floor and walked over to her. He had barely felt his sister’s “dig” in his back once he had seen Charlotte. His hands wrapped her cheeks and he gave her a sweet kiss, as he remembered that Diana was right behind him.

“I’m happy to see you too,” Charlotte teased him with a wink. “I just got back, put some of my things away,” and as she motioned to the team gear, she was wearing, added, “now I am off to the track to meet the team for a late lunch and to get to work.” She had placed her hands on his chest and was finding it difficult to remove them now that she needed to.

“Same with us, lunch and then some work here and back down to the gym.” He did not want to let her go either, but Diana clearing her throat behind him forced a complacent grin on his face. He leaned to kiss her forehead, and whispered “Dinner? Maybe just the two of us tonight?”

“It’s a date,” she whispered back. Smiling she adjusted her tote higher on her shoulder. “Time for me to go, I’ll let you know when it looks like we might be heading back,” she added as she searched his eyes.

His soft smile returned as he looked down on her and nodded his head. “Until later, then,” he confirmed.

“Until later,” she smiled. He walked her to the door of their room as Diana went to set their lunches down on the table. Giving Charlotte one last kiss before she left.

Charlotte finally arrived at the track, with several bags with boxed lunches from the hotel. Arthur had requested something different for lunch than what they could get from the team’s hospitality room, to keep their energy up. Michael and Babington had met her at the gate, and helped with carrying the items to the team’s meeting room in the control center for privacy. With the extra engineers joining them, leaving a group of 8 to start working on race strategy, car set ups, and back up plans and options based on what tyres they qualified on, where they might qualify on the grid, weather, and what they wanted to test for on Friday. The debates went back and forth, previous years had been consulted for their data and track conditions, and after 3 hours of points and counter points, they had a pretty good idea for what they wanted to try for the first practice session. Several tentative options for the second practice session were “penciled in” as their templates for what information they garnered after the first session’s worth of data. They took a break to stretch their legs, get a coffee, and mull over what they had already discussed.

Arthur was taking a walk in the paddock area with Charlotte, not discussing what they had just gone over, for security reasons, when Arthur bumped into the Team Principal, from the Austrian team. Arthur had known him since he was a teenager, and was forced to introduce Charlotte.

“Christian, this is Charlotte Heywood,” Charlotte put out her hand to shake his, and his response was very friendly.

“Yes… Heywood…” He was looking into her face, simultaneously pulling up the information he already knew about her, and supplanting it inside the person in front of him. “Yes, pleasure to meet you, I heard about you when you were at Southampton. I have friends on the faculty there.” He kept the soft smile and intense eye contact after he finished speaking.

Charlotte smiled in return. “Yes, I’m quite familiar with your work, it is a pleasure to meet you.” For a Team Principal, Christian was young, at least he was the youngest apart from Tom when he had gotten the job. But he had done it with a team that did not bear his surname. Plus, Christian was also a serious engineer and understood all the aspects of the build that not all team leaders could. Four championships later, he was very well respected, and consequently also a little bit feared.

“As it would happen, a few friends at MIT as well,” Christian added as he tilted his sandy blonde head slightly to the side as his eyes narrowed to read her.

Charlotte held her poker face of the same small smile she had before he had said it. Her stomach however, was feeling like there was most likely a dossier with her name on it somewhere in a file cabinet in his office. Most likely with her doctoral dissertation, theses from her master’s programs, school transcripts that went all the way back to primary school, and perhaps a few copies of news clippings from the past decade. She merely extended her grin slightly, showing that she was not intimidated, or necessarily surprised by his confession. To share that he knew that amount of information about a competitor in F1, was equal to just that.

He finally pulled his eyes from Charlotte and allowed a larger smile as he looked at Arthur. He gave a quick nod of his head toward Charlotte but kept his gaze at Arthur. “Your idea?” He was smooth, and knew who the brain trust was at Parker’s.

Arthur matched his smile, “No actually, Tom’s.” Christian raised his brows in surprise.

“Really, well…” He looked back and forth between them. “Looks like Tom beat us all to the punch.” He was a little more serious.

Arthur laughed. “Really Christian, you have one of the best aerodynamicists in F1 history on your team! How many more do you need? I mean, _whatever_ would you do with them all?” He added, laughing and teasing him even more, but there was a challenge behind his dark eyes as they narrowed slightly.

Christian laughed lightly as his hands were set on his hips, and let his gaze finally drop momentarily to the ground. “Well, you never know Arthur,” he gave a single clap to his shoulder as he started to move away. Still smiling knowingly, “you never know. Nice to meet you Charlotte. Arthur, always a pleasure.” He nodded at them, and turned to talk to the assistant who had been patiently waiting for him, and started talking to him as soon as they were out of ear shot. 

Looking at them as they walked away, Charlotte leaned in toward Arthur. “Is he always like that? I feel like I just survived my first confrontation with a vampire, or something. Like he was waiting for me to invite him into our home.” She was still watching him as they walked away.

Arthur laughed so loudly that they, and a few other people around them looked back at them to see what they ruckus was about. “Oh Charlotte! My dear, you are always so prescient!” His laughter continued. He was able to compose himself after they walked on further. “No, not a vampire, but if he had vampire friends, I would not be surprised!” He added with a chuckle.

“Well, it appears that he has influential friends _everywhere_ ,” she added with a playful grin. “I fear that he may have had MI-5 tailing me since I was 16, the way he was talking.”

“I would not be surprised if he did. But I’m sure MI-5 already had you on their radar. And really, I wouldn’t expect anything less of him.” Charlotte’s eyes grew wide. “I will say this Charlotte, he is a fierce competitor, and if he finds a button he can push, that could derail your confidence, he will press it. _Hard.”_ He looked at her. “Really, back _here_ , it’s not swimming with sharks. It’s swimming in a piranha tank. Lots of little bites to try and take you down. From all directions. When they use the press as well, which they will, you’ll have to stay the course. ‘Keep calm and carry on,’ as it were.” He had been looking around at how private their conversation was. He looked back at her. “You’re good at that though,” he winked, “so I’m not too concerned. At least you know what you can anticipate.” She nodded.

“Yes, thank you Arthur. One down, only a couple dozen more to go,” she added with a tease.

“So very true,” he added with a laugh. “I’m sure you’ll get most of them out of the way tomorrow at the cocktail reception. But I’m sure Sidney will not leave your side, and if he does, Michael, or myself will be there as back up if you need it. And Clara, of course! She really is adept at handling grumpy, arrogant, self-important men.”

Charlotte thought back to their conversation that morning, Clara seemed to have a lifetime of experience to prepare her for the type of work she did in a male dominated atmosphere. Her good looks were just the catalyst to disarm. Everything else was her cleverness, her ambition, and battle-honed street smarts. Buttercream icing on top of a cake made of concrete, she thought, and smiled slightly.

“Yes, Clara has already been very helpful,” she added. “But then again, so has almost everyone else,” as she looked up at Arthur and playfully nudged her shoulder against his arm.

He smiled down at her. “Yes, well… it seems Dr. Heywood, that you are very well liked here.”

She smiled back, secretly hoping that this was the mood that would take them through the grueling schedule in front of them. Not just for the week, but the season as well. She pep-talked herself with a reminder that it was best to take one day, one race week at a time. With maybe an intense swim to help with the pressure, when she could fit one in. She was beginning to see the benefits of the strict schedule Sidney kept with Diana, just to manage the pressure. The food, the work-outs, the routine, the focus, it all functioned as distractions, as well as for preparation.

The day stretched as the engineers and designers continued to go through the thousands of points of information they were still analyzing. For the race engineers, Charlotte, and Arthur were in the garage working with the mechanics. They still had one more day, but that day would be filled with news conferences, the drivers would have a meet and greet session with several VIP ticket holders, a drivers’ meeting, and the last preparations, all of it ending in the reception they were all expected to attend, even if just for a little while. Charlotte had barely checked her phone since they had gotten there, until she realized that the clock was reaching 6.30 pm.

Sidney: Let me know when you think you’ll be back xx

Sidney: I know you have a lot to do, but tell my brother you can finish tomorrow xx

Sidney: Still waiting. Patiently waiting xx

The last one had been sent 45 minutes ago, and Charlotte smiled softly at his persistence, and then bit her lower lip concerned for how long he was waiting. But he knew that she was going to be working late, they had talked about it. She also supposed that even though they had talked about it, didn’t mean that he had to like it. Relationships. It had been awhile since she had been in one, and the responsibility to another person and their needs was something she was going to need to think about again.

Charlotte: So sorry Sidney, meetings and strategy sessions. Working with the mechanics in the garage now as tomorrow will be so busy. I’ll let you know when I think we will be getting out of here. xx

She felt guilty about not being able to meet with him yet, but she was ultimately working for him. Surely, he would understand that, wouldn’t he? She was going over the most current check list she and Arthur had made, and was working on another list or itinerary to make adjustments to the team assembly schedule for future races, in an attempt to make things more efficient and to hopefully give them more time to troubleshoot possible problems. She realized that by making a new routine for the mechanics and engineers. Making it more concise, precise, efficient, maybe that would be the way the rest of them would be better able to manage the stress and pressures of the race weeks. Just like Sidney and Diana’s schedule. This gave her great purpose to make the check list and itinerary one that could be used at any race, and would thoroughly check each component with the equipment and with each car. They already had a system in place, but she had seen the gaps in where some of the checks and balances could be actualized better. In the long run, it would only save them time, and create a sense of finality with the basics. Thus, leaving more time for the variables for each race, that would no doubt be eaten up by the needs of the cars and its myriad of components.

She wasn’t alone. Babington, Michael, and Arthur were still there, along with most of the engineers, and all of the mechanics. She couldn’t very well leave them. She was running the ideas she had with the mechanics, Arthur, Michael, and even their strategists to see what they were working on for their race day plans. She looked back at her watch, and realized it was already 7.45. She was a terrible girlfriend, she thought. A hard-working Technical Director it would seem, but she still hoped that Sidney wasn’t too cross with her for not making it back earlier. It seemed now, that she was not going to make it back until very late. The more she checked on the status of the work, the more it seemed that they still had to do.

Charlotte: Dearest, I’m so sorry, we have been so busy. I am simply trapped here while we are working. Please forgive me xx

She sent the text, hoping that he wasn’t waiting in their room, possibly dressed up and wanting to take her out. She put the phone in her pocket once she did not receive a return text after a minute. Slightly discouraged with how much they were trying to get done, and the late hour, her shoulders dropped. She was tired, and frustrated, and wanted some kind of normalcy. Then, of course, she realized that if she wanted something normal, F1 was not the place to be working, let alone working and then dating an F1 driver. She had already moved to the other side of the garage to check on the second car, and spent more time working out a routing problem with some of the electrical with the mechanics. They had been at that problem, comparing the two cars back and forth for some time. She eventually stood between both garages, trouble shooting on both sides, and had her arms folded in front of her. She was shaking her head at the mountain of work still ahead of them before Friday morning, when she heard loud cheers and “heeeys” and some clapping toward the back of the garage. She turned her head to see Sidney with Diana, James, and Tom, followed by some of the support staff, bringing in large brown paper bags with what was certainly food.

“A little birdie told me you were all working late, so we thought we would bring you some dinner!” Tom loved to do grand gestures, or grand anything, and was excited at coming out to check on the work, and feed the staff once he had gotten a call from Sidney. They verified that it would be a late night for the whole crew from Arthur, and set about making arrangements to provide them with dinner. It was simple, burgers, chips, salads, chicken, but it was exactly what they all needed to clear their heads after such a long day. Choosing what they wanted, some of the crew went back to the control center, some found picnic tables in the paddock area, and some made a large misshapen horseshoe sitting directly in the pit lane in front of their garage, to keep the food out of the garage itself. Bottles of water and soda were handed out, and a much-needed time out from the work, allowed the group to be quiet and regroup for a while.

Sidney had found Charlotte with his eyes almost as soon as they had entered the garage. He could see her expression change from exhaustion to surprise, and then appreciation as she smiled at him. He had a separate bag ready for her, and managed to peel himself away once almost everyone had been given something to eat. She had been waiting in the same spot, letting the crew get their meals first, watching him. Finally, he walked over and held up the bag. “Your dinner, boss. Mind if I join you?” He smiled broadly just at the opportunity to look at her.

“You may. _Although_ …” Her eyes became serious. “Do you come bearing chips?” Her eyes twinkled as she asked.

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “As a matter of fact, I do, and a rather decadent cheese burger if that’s what you want.” He pulled back to see her smiling at him.

“I think that might be exactly what I want.” She added with a smile. They looked around and decided on a slightly darker spot behind the others in the pit lane, sitting cross-legged on the pavement. The group was eating, and intermittent conversations along with quiet moments when everyone was enjoying their meal and the break, changed the feeling from a pressure cooker to something more like a family picnic. Sidney pulled out two bottles of Pellegrino, handing one to Charlotte with a wide smile. Then four boxes of food from the brown paper, handled bag. Salads, a burger and chips for her if she wanted it, also grilled chicken and vegetables if she wanted that instead. He had some kind of beans and brown rice with grilled courgettes, peppers, tomatoes, and fresh coriander leaves on top.

Charlotte inhaled the hot food in front of her. “I didn’t even realize how hungry I was,” she said, and then looked up at him a little sheepishly. “Honestly, I was only thinking about how we were stuck here, and you were waiting for me,” she added quietly. He grinned and looked around before leaning in to quietly kiss her cheek by her ear.

“All I could think about was how could I find a way to have dinner with you while all of you were working. The only solution I could come up with was feeding _everyone_ , so I could pull you away for a little while.” He smiled with a slight laugh.

Her eyes sparkled, “So you’re the ‘little birdie’ then…” she smirked.

“I _may_ be,” he teased back. “But I will never admit it.” He smiled and handed her a plastic fork for her salad. “Now, I did think about bringing you your espresso, but I wasn’t sure if you drank coffee so late.”

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, “sometimes, but tonight, I think we will all need sleep when we finally get out of here,” as she reached for a few chips and started to eat them. She sampled all the items he brought, including his own “power bowl,” which she decided was much tastier than she expected. They were seated almost next to each other, but definitely close enough that their knees touched with the way they were sitting. The light was getting darker, as this track is not set up for a night race, and with where they were sitting, Charlotte felt that they were in enough shadows that she could lean against him with her head against his shoulder, as she scooted a little closer to him. It had been such a full day, and the pace was not something she was accustomed to yet. She closed her eyes and listened to some of the conversation tidbits and laughter from the group.

Sidney turned to look at her. Her head against the outside of his arm, laying at the corner of his shoulder, her eyes closed, and a peaceful smile on her face. He put his arm around her back at her waist to support her, and then leaned to kiss the hair on the top of her head. They were quiet and simply enjoying the rare moments of down-time the race weeks provided. It might have been a little more public than they had wanted to be, but right now, in this moment, with all the uncertainty of the weekend, the pressures they expected, and the inevitable unknown challenges that were sure to come, to be able to sit and support each other was the most important thing they could do. They both felt it.

Eventually everyone was finished, and some final adjustments to the cars were made, and then the garages were organized and closed up tight until the morning. Sidney had waited for her, and they rode back with Arthur and Tom. Tom did most of the talking, so they could simply sit and hold each other’s hand in the car. They didn’t let go once they walked back in to the hotel, and got on the elevator. They kept holding hands until they got back into their room. At this point there was nothing they really wanted to hide.

Sidney turned her toward him once they reached the lounge of the suite, he placed her tote that he had carried on the table. “You must be exhausted, Charlotte.” She nodded and leaned her forehead against his chest, feeling it rise and fall with his breath.

“Shower? Bath? Bed?” He asked, as he gently rubbed her arms.

“Bath, I think. But not a long one or I am sure I will fall asleep.” She answered quietly. He held his hand on her lower back and guided her down to sit on her bed. He moved to her bathroom and started the water for the bath, while she took off her shoes and socks, and then removed her team trousers and shirt, tossing them in a bag she could send out to be laundered. Sidney had watched her. Mesmerized by her movements. Even when she was tired, she was efficient in what she did, but she also managed to make it look sure and confident which only made her figure more alluring to him. Or maybe it was the way her curls moved as she leaned forward and then stood back up, flipping her hair from one side to the next, just to remove her outer layers of clothing. Like a curtain that revealed her skin each time she moved. He was crouched by the large soaking tub, checking the temperature as the water flowed over his hand. Finally, he looked back at what he was doing to see how full the tub was. Suddenly he realized he had never done this for someone else. Maybe for Georgiana after her father died, but that was as a brother, a caretaker, for someone who was despondent and grieving, and unable to care for herself. This was completely different.

This was about him wanting to bring her dinner as a surprise just so they could eat together. This was him wanting to support her, and care for her, and not only about the possibility of sex. He was honest with himself, she was spent, and sex was definitely not happening tonight. No, this was alien territory, but it somehow seemed to come so naturally to him. At least it did when he was with her, and thinking of her. He smiled softly as he noticed that the water was deep enough, and turned to see her standing and leaning against the door way of the bathroom, clad only in her white lace panties and bra. She was a goddess, he thought. Or an angel, or a combination of the two. He watched as she then twisted her hair into a loose bun with an elastic band on the crown of her head, then put his hand out for hers, and drew her toward the tub as he put his knees on the bathmat and leaned back to sit on his heels. He reached for the clasp on her back, and gently drew the straps forward off her arms. Then he gently placed his fingers under the elastic waist of her knickers, and smoothly pulled them down and off her feet. Taking her hand again, he helped her step into the tub, and held it until she was safely seated. He brought her the body wash from the shower, and a towel that he laid on the high edge of the tub. Leaning forward, he kissed the top of her head, and mentioned that he would check on her in a few minutes before he left the room.

He went to his own room, undressed and changed into a pair of loose boxers to sleep in, and padded across the carpet back to her room. She was already out of the tub, naked and wet, and just about to wrap the towel around her when he peered in through the open door. ‘Goddess,’ he thought again. He watched as she quickly did her nighttime skincare, and then turned to see him watching her. “I thought maybe you had gone to bed,” she said with a soft smile.

“I wanted to make sure you were OK. You’re awfully tired tonight,” he added with a smile. He watched as she yawned and covered her mouth with her hand.

“I am tired,” she said quietly, as she walked toward him, and he stepped back so she could enter the bedroom. He watched as she walked over to one of several light green shopping bags she had lined up. Probably from the same store, he thought. She pulled out something light blue, pulled the tags off, and then reached up with her arms to thread the item down over her head. It was silk, short, with creamy lace trim at the V-neck and the bottom hem. The straps were very slim. A slip, that barely covered her, and left her arms, shoulders, and legs bare.

“Are you sure you’re tired?” He asked teasingly as she looked like a confection in a bakery window.

She smiled. “I suppose that means that you like it?” She asked, but then yawned again.

He nodded and smiled back. “Indeed.” He bit his lip as he thought. “Do you want me to leave you alone, and sleep in the other room.” He did not want to pressure her or invade her privacy if she needed it. He would understand if she did.

She walked toward him, and placed her hand on his bare chest. “Do you think you can just sleep next to me? At least tonight?” She asked as she looked up at him. The fatigue in her eyes was noticeable.

He gave her his sideways smile. “I think I can manage that,” he said and then kissed her forehead. “My bed or yours?” He added with a smile.

She looked around at the bags she hadn’t been able to put away yet, and answered, “yours, if that’s OK.”

“After you, gorgeous…” she smiled back at his sweet compliment, and he followed her to his room turning off the lights behind them. She flipped back the covers on the same side she had slept the last two nights, on the right. She climbed into the bed, and waited as Sidney brushed his teeth and turned the rest of the lights off. She felt his weight on the mattress as he climbed in, and then turned toward her and drew her to him. “Good night, Darling.” He whispered.

“Good night, Sidney… Dearest,” she was fading quickly, but leaned up to kiss him. It was slow and tender, and not a simple peck goodnight. Sidney let his hands enjoy the soft cool fabric on her back.

He hummed as he pulled back. “You must promise me something,” he said.

“What is it Sidney,” she asked concerned but sleepily.

“You must wear this again when you’re _not_ too tired to do anything but sleep,” his deep voice spoke softly as he gently grazed the side of his nose and cheek against her hair, inhaling the scent of her soap, and her lotion, and her. She giggled against his chest.

“I promise,” she answered quietly. “You have my word.” He could hear her smile in her voice, even if he couldn’t see it in the dark. She nuzzled to place her head in the crook of his arm, laying her head where his chest and shoulder met. He pulled her tighter so she could get closer, her ankle laying over his calf, and her arm across his chest. This was something else he could barely remember doing. Not like this, he thought yet again. Soon he could hear the slow gentle rhythm of her breathing as she slept. He could feel his body reacting toward hers, but knew this was not the time. Almost like a test he needed to pass. Remembering that if this was really something that he wanted, being there for her after a difficult and long day, would be a big part of that. It should have scared him. Instead, it gave him a new sense of purpose. Another thing, for him to work toward excellence, in his practice. It almost seemed too easy, though. That he was so willing, that the effort wasn’t really effort at all. Maybe, he thought, it would be harder when he was exhausted too. What if they were both exhausted, like she was tonight? Like on race days, race weekends were tough on everyone. He hoped she would feel the same way, and looked down at her sleeping face. He grinned to himself. Then, he imagined, they would probably help each other instead, and find their way through. He pulled her a little closer, and adjusted his pillow with his left arm bent behind and supporting his head. He liked the idea of that, of this. He smiled softly as he listened to her breathing. Slowly he matched his breathing with hers, and they were both asleep.


	34. First Impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting! The past three weekends have been the last 3 Formula One races of the 2020 seasons. As you will soon see, there is a lot to watch leading up to one race, which means I have the TV on from Friday through Sunday, with hours spent each day just being a fan. And since we set the DVR for the sessions that are aired live in a variety of time zones, we end up watching during a time when my kids don't need me. Which of course eats into my free-time/writing time. Now that the season has ended, I will have fewer distractions to keep me from writing. I hope, anyway, and at least until the 4th week in March when they are supposed to start the 2021 season. Also, the lovely Panstick and I finished the last chapter installment of "The Cove" last week. Look for it here on AO3 if you haven't checked out that series yet. We have a lot of fun writing these possible scenarios and missed opportunities. Thank you again for reading!!!!

Chapter 34

First Impressions

Diana had been expecting Sidney early the next morning. His day’s schedule was already booked several hours after lunch, and most of what they needed to work on for him to be prepared for the following three days needed to be done before that. Two sessions of testing for tomorrow, on Friday. Qualifying on Saturday, with the race on Sunday. She had texted him early, and luckily, he had responded. A run, for them both in the park behind the hotel was the first order of business, weights, neck training for the G-forces the speed changes through the corners inflicted on the body, early light lunch, and then a swim to loosen everything back up, but keep his core engaged, followed by an ice bath for the inflammation, then a bigger lunch to replenish. Getting back into the team car after such a long hiatus, required extra effort. Conditioning could mean the difference of earning points for the team, or turning up empty-handed at the end of the race. Sidney had always made his fitness a priority. Even training for, and competing in several Iron Man triathlons to keep in the best shape possible. But he had gotten bored with that after he had done it a few times.

This year was suddenly very different. She had noticed a change at testing, assuming it was simply the changes in the car, and the new structure of the team. Then the mess with the press photos, and now he was completely and utterly in love, from what Diana could see. She was not the sentimental type. She had learned to push that back after the accident that took their parents, and if she had looked back further, it had really started in her Karting career. A steely determination to prove herself, always just below the surface that had never really been breached by anyone other than her family. There are more women in the sport now, but when she started, there were not many, and even fewer still who regularly beat the boys on the track. There was even one that had been racing in F1 until last year, that she had regularly sent down to a lower podium finish.

At least with what she was doing now, it still allowed her to feel the thrill of competition. She knew who was doing the work to stay on top, and who was slacking off. ‘Her’ driver, ‘her’ responsibility of helping Sidney succeed, helped to feed the competitive monster that hid deep inside. And when she out-worked Sidney in the gym or on a run, it reminded her of her love for it, and the value of the physical and mental side of their lives. She had loved driving, and loved the relationship it had brought with her father. It had also made her relationship with Sidney closer to best friends than just brother and sister. She had helped him in his early years, taught him what she had learned through her own mistakes, and encouraged him to continue after that fateful day on the M25. She knew he had what it would take to make it, even if she felt she could no longer go on.

After that point, she became much more like his pseudo-mother hen, since Reggie had taken on the roll of a replacement father figure for all of them. For all the things she had helped him with from that point on, with all the study and learning and research, being in love was not something she had experience with. It wasn’t anything she had looked for in her life, and not really anything she felt that she needed. Sidney’s current state of bliss was not something she had first hand knowledge of, in fact, most of if not all of her intimate encounters, had been based purely on physical attraction. With her level of fitness and bright blue eyes, she had no shortage of offers over the years, and when she was in the mood, she indulged that physical need. For her, that was all it had been. Now at 32, it was still the same. Her life’s work was her passion, competition and helping others was what drove her, not intimacy or undying romantic love. And she was perfectly fine with it. Happy, actually. Life was much less complicated this way. From what she had observed the last few weeks with Sidney’s fluctuating moods, she felt sure that this was exactly how she wanted it to remain.

Sid: Coming Diana, putting on my trainers now

It was 5.30 in the morning, and Sidney had been pushed out of his bed by the lovely woman at his side when his alarm went off. He groaned, not wanting to leave the warmth of his bed, and the soft creature who had lulled him to sleep the night before.

“I know, Dearest, but this is your _work_.” She emphasized.

He chuckled at that. “Yes, I know better than to come between _you_ and ‘ _work_.’”

She still had her head buried in the pillow with her hair still up in what was now an even looser bun, but shifted to be heard better. “And I know better than to come between you and your _sister_.” He laughed at her response. “At least during a race week,” she mumbled as she returned her head to a nestled position on the pillow and turning her head away. “Besides,” she yawned, “I’ll be up in another half hour.” Then her shoulders relaxed further into the pillow, and Sidney tucked the blankets up higher to cover them. He kissed her forehead.

“As usual, you are right, Darling,” he whispered, but he wasn’t sure if she heard, as she looked like she was already back to sleeping.

The run in the park had gone well, they both enjoyed getting outside in the early hours, watching the world wake up around them. It also helped to clear the cobwebs and start the day with new perspectives. They sometimes talked, but often it was a quiet experience when they ran together. They avoided music, as it sometimes affected focus, plus they had a lovely park with birds and the distant sounds of the city to keep them occupied. Following a quick shower, the usual porridge with fruit for breakfast also included a small espresso to help with the jet lag, and to stimulate the nervous system while he worked on his reaction-time exercises. Then, intense weight training followed by a high protein snack, then into the pool, lap after lap. Conditioning and preparing, strengthen and stretch. Building muscle with flexibility was key for recovery later after his races. Then Diana had arranged for his tub to be more than half filled with ice for the dreaded bath.

“OK Sidney, time’s up!” Diana called from the lounge area. She heard his shower starting, no doubt warming up slightly before getting dressed again. She had his lunch waiting for him on the table, and he emerged, dressed and hungry. He tucked in to the meal, hungrier than usual. Diana watched at the speed with which he was eating. Not typical. Then her grin exposed her line of thought. “Sidney… how much more ‘exercise’ are you getting this week?” She looked at him directly, as she always did.

“Uuuhh, I’m not sure what…” then the implication of what she said dawned on him. He cleared his throat and reached for his glass of water, since he seemed to be choking on nothing.

“You know, once a day, twice a day, three times, four …?” Diana was talking until Sidney put up his palm to stop her.

He shook his head, this was not a conversation they had needed to have before. He’d had many liaisons, but not during the front end of a race week, and not for days at a time, topped with a significant time change. “Well… all of the above really.” He looked at her annoyed. “It’s not like we keep a ‘schedule,’” he looked at her and saw that the idea had crossed her mind… “and if you ask me to _make_ one or keep _track_ , I am refusing both right now!”

It was her turn to raise both her hands up to stop him before he started. “I will not ask, but if you are expending a significant number of additional calories, we will need to add that to your daily intake.”

He shook his head. “I’m already eating extra when I’m with Charlotte, BUT I am still staying on plan for the most part.” He added trying to reassure her. “You saw what I had at the garage last night. Plus, with Charlotte’s work responsibilities keeping her busy, the ‘ _activities_ ’ you are _alluding to_ , depend a great deal on that. She actually has to be _present_.” His head tilted with his sarcasm.

She chuckled slightly with his comment. “Just making sure we are paying attention to all the details,” she added. She looked at him with a small smirk and then got a more serious. “You seem happy.”

He softly huffed with a smile. “I am happy.” He paused thinking about it. “It’s strange, I can’t remember when I ever felt this happy, or if I _ever_ felt this happy before. It’s… different.”

“You seem different.” She observed. She watched as he continued to eat. She picked at the salad she also had in front of her while he shoveled forkfuls into his mouth, and then took a spoonfuls from his power bowl. She finally got the nerve to ask him what she had been thinking. “Sidney?” He looked up again. “Do you think that you might be in love with Charlotte? I mean, I know it’s early going, and it’s not like _I’ve_ ever felt that way before so what do I know. I never wanted to, you know?” She watched him to see how he reacted. He reached for his water again, forcing down his latest bite.

“I, I don’t know.” He answered. “I thought I was with Eliza, but I was so young, I don’t think it was really the real thing, you know?” She nodded and looked away before looking back. He was looking at her. “Why?”

“I guess it’s all the changes with you,” She shrugged.

He gave his sideways smile. “I suppose I could be on the way to that, I don’t really know. This is the first ‘ _mature_ ’ relationship I’ve had.” He took another drink of water. “It’s too soon to say though,” he added dismissively. He did not want to think about that yet. 

“Mmhmmn,” she said. She watched him shake his head and avoid her eye contact. “OK, well. Take it easy tonight at the party,” She stood up to put the dishes in front of her back on the room service tray. “And take a nap while you can,” she instructed while she lightly punched his shoulder as she walked past him.

“See you later?” He asked.

“Maybe, not sure yet. Might go just out of curiosity to see everyone before tomorrow. Always fun to see some of mom and dad’s pals, but I might just stay in.” She waved and left him to finish his lunch, before his press conference by the Yarra River.

Charlotte, Tom, Clara, and Arthur left the track together to head to the news conference for the team leaders which was planned right before the driver’s question and answer session at the same venue. It was held at an outdoor stage in the public square that looked like it was set up for a rock concert, and was open to the public. A large blacked-out stage, full with lighting rigs, and a huge screen in the background to play clips of prerecorded team publicity clips. It typically drew a large crowd of locals and tourists who were in town for the race. Clara had helped with a little extra makeup for all of them, as they had spent most of the day working in the garage, and as it had rained earlier before the temperature rose, so had the humidity which had taken its toll on all of them. There were film crews there, questions were being fielded by two local reporters, and an Australian former racing driver, Roger, who was working with them for the week. Tom had taken the first few questions from one of the reporters, with his amiable personality, he handled most of the questions about the team.

That was until the retired driver turned to Charlotte with a question. “You’ve only just been with the Parker team for what, 2 months?”

“Five weeks,” she answered. “We came on right when testing was starting.”

He continued, “Wow! That’s a really short time to make changes, do you think you’ve even really started, or scratched the surface with any 'aero' changes on the car?”

“Luckily,” she looked at Arthur and smiled, “the manufacturing side of the factory is very efficient. We were able to test a lot during that week, and Arthur Parker here,” she motioned to him next to her, “has made the transition as smooth as possible. The team, they are all quite proficient and professional, and have been supportive with the changes we’ve made.”

“Yeah, but you’re so young, and completely new in racing at this level.” He added, but it really wasn’t a question.

Arthur saw her lick her lips before biting the lower one. “People said the same thing about me, Roger.” Arthur interrupted with a laugh. “Believe me, there is nothing inexperienced about Charlotte Heywood as the director of the technical team. Really, she’s been a revelation, and she did grow up in a family that had a team in F3, so really nothing like a novice.” He added with a smile as he looked over to her. 

Roger laughed with Arthur, and seemed to be placated. Until his next question. “But, Miss Heywood _is_ the first woman to head a technical department in an F1 team, isn’t that a lot for anyone, let alone someone who’s what? 23? And only _just_ 23?” 

Arthur, and even Tom leaned forward to answer, but Charlotte knew she needed to handle this herself. Instead, she laughed, and held the microphone up to her mouth. “If I had a _pound_ for every time someone told me I was too _young_ to do something, I’d have enough money to _fund_ an F1 team.” She got a laugh from the large crowd. “It’s funny that no one ever questions the credentials of the drivers, some of them still teenagers when they get behind the wheel of an F1 car.” She looked at him pointedly, but still gave a closed lip grin. “Besides, it’s not like I haven’t worked for it. I have the education, as much or more than any other technical leader in F1, I have experience in F3, and I have _excellent_ teammates to help make everything happen for the cars.” She chuckled and relaxed, “Really, it’s not like I’m working with a bunch of _push-overs_ , I mean, have you _seen_ some of the mechanics on the pit lane? And the _pit crew_?!” She teased, and got another laugh. “They speak freely with any of the changes, and we collaborate on how to accomplish them." She took a breath before she continued. "Parker Racing is not new to the F1 grid. Two generations have made this team what it is, and we are all privileged to work there.” She had remembered how Clara had handled some of the bad press after the photo scandal, the history would always be there to make a point. “It’s a team sport, as you well know Roger, and there has never been a situation yet where someone could not come to myself or Arthur with any ideas they had or concerns. In fact, we have worked very hard here the last two days to get ready for this weekend’s race, and the communication between the entire garage crew, and the engineers running data has been steady and cooperative. No one is expected to simply remain ‘quiet’ while we work.” He was nodding, and seemed to understand that he was being publicly chastised for the question/comment he had made, when Arthur chimed in with his bright voice through his own microphone.

“And it’s Doctor.” Roger looked a little puzzled by the comment, so Arthur repeated. “ _Doctor_ , Charlotte Heywood, PHD… Aerodynamics… from MIT… Not, ‘Miss.’” Arthur grinned, pleased with himself and with his new teammate. He heard, what sounded like mostly female voices in the crowd cheering that last statement, until it spread through the rest of the gathering. Unusual for a foreigner to get a bigger cheer at the expense of a “hometown hero,” but there it was as Arthur smiled even wider for the crowd.

Clara was waiting for them off-stage when they were finally finished, and the next group went forward to take the hot seats to handle their own team’s questions. She put her arm around Charlotte’s shoulders. “Are we all well?” She asked, and got a nod in return, but Charlotte was trying to look down so that she did not have to meet anyone else new until later tonight. That was, until she saw some young girls next to the barricade adjacent to the stage steps calling her name. “Charlotte, Charlotte!” Trying to get her attention. They were holding F1 programs and Parker Racing hats and T-shirts, asking her to sign them. She took a breath from the surprise, then she felt Clara press a permanent marker into her palm and gently shove her forward with an instruction to “smile,” in her ear. She went to meet the girls, and then some boys nearby asked her as well. She smiled and asked their names as she signed merchandise and papers with her autograph. She talked to them about what subjects they liked in school, answered their questions as best she could, and took selfies with them, thanking them for coming and hoped they would enjoy the race. Eventually Clara had to pull her away, but not before she got a few of the videographers and photographers to get the interactions recorded. Maybe they would show up somewhere, or maybe not, either way, it was always smart to try. 

The drivers were due to be up soon, and some of them had already assembled with their team bosses, and press officers, so Charlotte knew that Clara had to stay behind to work. She looked for Arthur, but he had been lost in the sea of different team shirts from all the team leaders, assistants, and other handlers that had to be present. She had a few more of the younger girls stop her near the far end of the metal fence barricade, when she felt a tug at the back of her arm. She knew exactly who it was simply from his touch, and she may have given the girls in front of her a much bigger smile than the ones she had spoken to before. They were behind and to the side of the stage area, so there weren’t a lot of the fans nearby. The event security team was keeping the crowds as much in front of the stage as possible, only letting more kids through so they could see the drivers along the fence.

Sidney was trying to hide behind his hat, and since they were sharing the same team shirt, no one really noticed who they were each talking to. “Hey you,” he whispered in her ear, tilting his head so the bill of his cap kept the crowd from seeing him yet. She turned around to see him.

“Hey you,” her eyes danced as she looked at him.

He gave one of his best sideways grins, which usually meant he was up to something or thinking about it. Either that or feeling shy. She guessed “shy” at the moment, with people all around them, and the noise of the reporters and hosts still speaking through the microphones. “You heading back now?” He was secretly hoping she might wait for him.

“Yeah, Clara set me up with a hairstylist who’s coming to the hotel to help me get ready. She said something about a red carpet and photogs being there. As if it wasn’t nerve-wracking enough.” Her eyes darted to the other team leaders still nearby, knowing that she would eventually have to get to know all of them. “I’ll make sure they set up in my room so that you don’t run in to them.”

He smiled. “Always thinking, Dr. Heywood,” he said more formally, but winked while his white teeth smiled. “I really want to kiss you right now,” he said as he leaned in closer, she felt his breath on her cheek.

She looked up at him and noticed that the crowd they were in was growing and getting closer. With equal formality, she said, “I wholeheartedly concur, Mr. Parker,” but her eyes were saying something else as she looked at him. He laughed quietly at the two faces she was able to wear at the same time. Then they saw Clara coming up to them, James not far behind her, but staying far enough away to keep himself safe from their shared looks.

“Come Sidney, time to go to work,” she commanded with a smile, and then a wink at Charlotte. Charlotte watched the three of them as they walked toward the stage steps, and kept looking for Arthur. Now that some of the group was headed onstage, she was finally able to locate him. He waved and smiled, and held up a finger as if to ask her to wait for him, so she stood there and watched. The crowd that had gathered at the long barricade fencing had changed from earlier. Gone were the little girls. Now there were men, boys, and several women who looked rather fetching. Young, tall, most of them wearing fake tans, and short shorts or skirts with heels. Charlotte shook her head. ‘Who wears heels like that in a grassy park?’ she thought. At least, that’s what she thought until she saw a few of them calling Sidney and couple of the other drivers over for selfies and autographs. Then their intentions became more obvious.

She froze as she watched them. One of the ladies, beautiful, with very blonde long hair, and a very dark tan was trying to touch his arm and talk to him. She stepped a little closer to hear what the woman was saying because she was practically yelling to be heard over the speakers. She watched as Sidney tried to keep signing the ball-caps and shirts that people were handing him. Then she watched with horror as the woman pulled back the low neckline of her tank top, exposing the top of her breast as she leaned in toward him. “Sidney! Sign me!” She smiled alluringly, as her friends were trying to take photos and video of the encounter. Sidney had been smiling with the other fans, and when he turned and realized what was going on, his face fell.

“No, I can’t,” he told her as he shook his head.

Her friends chimed in with her, with “why can’t you do it,” “haven’t you done this before?” And a few “it’s just for fun,” comments, followed by several of them begging “please” in unison.

He stepped back and gave a small grin not to offend them too much, but still shook his head. “No, I really can’t,” he repeated. “I don’t think my girlfriend would like it if I did… I don’t do that anymore,” he added definitively but with a small smile. He stepped down the line and left the women heartbroken in his wake. He wasn’t even aware that Charlotte had watched the whole interaction. She was still standing there when she heard the ladies making rude remarks about him and his “girlfriend,” but she didn’t care. She didn’t care about what they said, because Sidney cared about her. This wasn’t even something they had talked about yet, but it was obvious where his heart lie, and she smiled as she watched him climb the steps to the stage, and then give a big wave with his entire arm to the roaring crowd when his name was announced.

Arthur had finally found her, Tom was headed to a Team Principal meeting, as the drivers had just had their meeting, so the two of them headed back to the hotel. It was 4:30 when they got back, Arthur was in touch with the garage, and it looked like they would all be done for the day soon, making any other adjustments in the morning before first practice. The stylist was supposed to meet her at 6, the reception was at 7, so she made arrangements to have an early room service dinner in their room. She had time to put some things away from her shopping, clean up a little, and shower. She was wistfully thinking of the pool while she waited and ate her dinner, and hoped that maybe tomorrow she would have time… but she doubted it.

She was seated in her room with the suite door closed. The stylist _and_ makeup artist, it would seem, had arrived promptly. Clara had left that bit out, possibly so she could not refuse someone doing her makeup for her. They saw what she was wearing for the party, and decided on a wavy side part with her hair pinned back on one side with a long thin gold clip. “A modern 30’s movie star” look, they said. A smoky eye to go with the dark pinstripe strapless dress she would wear. She instructed that she did not want too much eye makeup, because she wanted to still look professional. She knew of some of the people who would be there. People whose work she had looked up to and hoped to emulate with her own work. The last thing she wanted was to come across as “not credible.” Hence the pinstripe dress. It was feminine, but also classic. The heels on the other hand, were more on the side of “Sidney will _love_ these,” than “going for a job interview.” When they were finished, she was really pleased with the work. Her hair had a glamorous look with the large shiny waves, and the gold clip they used to pull back the other side was simple and elegant. The smoky eye was not too much, it really made her eyes stand out, and with a pink lip color that was a little darker than her natural color, she felt that she still looked like herself.

She tipped them well, thanked them, and hurried to finish dressing. It was pretty easy, except that she probably should have asked them to help zip her up before they left. She had heard Sidney returning through the closed door earlier. No doubt he would help her. They were supposed to be downstairs in less than 10 minutes, so he was probably close to being ready. She opened the door, and heard him in his room. “Knock, knock! Anyone home?” She asked.

He walked to where he could see her standing near the table and chairs. He had his shirt, dark blue suit trousers, and shoes on. His white shirt had 2 buttons open at the collar and no tie. That seemed to be a look he preferred, she thought. He let out a long low whistle when he saw her. A tilt of his head to the side, and with the sideways grin she had already grown to love, he took slow steps toward her. He ran his eyes up and down, and back again, trying to get every detail of her. She smiled sweetly, and in a way that almost didn’t match with the way that she looked. Then she remembered why she had come to find him. “My dress…” she turned with her back facing him, and her chin over her shoulder to keep watching him. “I can’t reach to zip it up by myself.”

His grin grew seductive. “Are we sure that we _want_ the zipper to go… up?” His voice matching the grin on his face and the look in his eyes, as he continued his deliberately slow steps.

“Well, I believe we are expected elsewhere, Mr. Parker,” she teased back and turned her chin up to follow his gaze as he walked closer.

“Hmmmmnn.” He simply hummed, as he was thinking. “I suppose you are right,” he added, and then was standing right behind her. He gently moved the cascading waves of hair away from the zipper on her back, and she tilted her head to assist him. He found the zipper, and moved the fabric together to draw the zipper up. He could see the black lace that was hidden underneath the dress itself. Her hair was shiny and soft, and when he finished with the zipper, He leaned down to where her neck was stretched in front of him. When his lips made contact with the fine skin on her neck, he pulled her around the waist to press her against him tightly. He proceeded to kiss the bareness of her back down along her spine until it met where the zipper was now closed. Groaning, he leaned his forehead against the back of her neck. After another long deep breath with her in his arms, he said, “just because you are right, doesn’t mean that I have to like it.”

She laughed lightly. “It might surprise you to know, that being ‘right’, is most often _not_ fun.”

“Really?” He asked.

“Yes, really,” she turned in his arms to face him now, and he pulled her closer.

“Well, you were definitely ‘right’ when you bought this dress,” and he pulled back and looked down. “ _And_ , god help me, when you bought those shoes!” He smiled a little more when he got a good look at them. They offset the more professional fabric of her dress. Not unlike her other dress sandals he had seen before, also in black, but the way the angle of the heel and the straps held her foot was different. She could wear 50 different pairs of strappy sandals, and he would never tire of any of them.

“Well, you said that you wanted to see me in some Dolce and Gabbana,” she teasingly reminded him. “It only seems fair that I get to wear it for a couple hours _at least_ , before you insist on taking it off of me.” He groaned and threw his head back in agony imagining the scenario. She smiled a little bit wickedly before adding, “Besides, if you think that this suit you’re wearing will affect me any differently, than this dress does you, you are _sorely_ mistaken.” She ran her hands down the front of his shirt, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

His head snapped down to look at her, a single eyebrow raised. “Oh _really_?” He smirked. “That _is_ good to know.” He really wanted to kiss her, but it had probably taken someone 15 minutes to fully prep and apply her lipstick, and he didn’t want to smudge the impeccable work so soon. “I suppose I should put on my jacket for the full effect,” he whispered alluringly into her ear that was exposed by the gold clip, causing her to stumble slightly when he let her go and turned to fetch his suit jacket from the other bedroom. He was wearing it when he came back out, adjusting his cuffs through the sleeves and looking more like James Bond than a racing driver, or maybe a combination of the two.

She smiled and tilted her head, admiring him as he walked toward her. “Hmmm, I daresay that we will be on _equal_ footing tonight, Sidney.” She added smoothly. He smiled back at her.

“Definitely good to know, my Darling,” he leaned down and kissed next to her ear. “Let’s get downstairs and get this _over_ with!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her along quickly toward the door. She laughed as she insisted that they stop so she could get her small clutch. Once retrieved, he took her hand again, pulling her to the elevator, and didn’t let go until they were forced to by the presence of photographers just outside the ballroom. 

Clara had found them as soon as they approached. She was wearing a black dress that looked like a snug, simple tube that was gathered gently by a drawstring in the middle of both the back and the front, with thin straps that encircled her neck, and left her shoulders bare. It was very Clara, deceptively simple, yet complicated in its construction. Charlotte was relieved to see her. “So, what is your plan tonight? The photographers are here, of course there are journalists, so it’s up to you two how public you want to take this?” She looked back and forth between them, watching to see which one would take the lead.

There was a small crowd waiting to go through the red carpet/photo op with the F1 backdrop covered in sponsorship brands and logos, bright lights, and a few PR people from F1 were ushering people through who would not be of interest to the press, and stopping those who they _would_ be interested in and who also might be trying to avoid having their picture taken. Charlotte looked at the popping flashes and had her own small flashback to their first press conference. She watched as Tom walked forward in his dark burgundy evening suit that looked to be made of a silk taffeta, or a very, very shiny gabardine. It certainly grabbed attention under the lights, and she was having trouble looking away from it.

Sidney was watching her as her eyes grew wide, and chuckled when he saw that she was watching his brother in his flashy suit. He looked back at her, and she still seemed to be quite unsettled by the attention. Then he had an idea. “Clara, I would be thrilled to walk in with Charlotte latched on to my arm, but it might be a little much so soon.” He looked at her knowingly and tipped his head toward Charlotte, and Clara nodded in agreement. He continued, “Can you walk in with us? You could have each of us on either side, and that way, we’re together, but you can act as something of a decoy…” He added.

She grinned widely. “I’d be thrilled to. Let me send James in, make sure he is part of the photo coverage, and I’ll be right back to get you.”

Sidney pulled Charlotte behind a tall potted palm tree in an adjoining area, to help her regain her calm. “Are you OK?”

She nodded as she looked off at the press area. “That was a good idea, getting Clara to help.”

“As long as you are happy, then I am happy too. I promise when we get inside, I won’t leave you if you want me next to you,” he dipped his head to the side to catch her eyes. Once locked on them he leaned a little closer. “I promise.”

A year a go she had been living in leggings and jeans, covered in sweatshirts and baggy sweaters in the still-cold Spring weather of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Working hard on her research, writing, and refining her conclusions, now she was in the middle of the most international sport in the world. Suddenly working with and surrounded by some of the most photographed people in the business. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and took another before Sidney heard her mutter, “Courage, Charlotte.” He smiled at her self-coaching.

“If it makes you feel any better, you are _absolutely_ gorgeous. Really, you’re lucky we even made it out of the hotel room,” and he nudged her with his shoulder. She laughed slightly, and he got the reaction he had been hoping for. He reached for her hand and held it again as they talked quietly. He knew that nothing in her life until now, could have prepared her for this, and this was only the beginning. From here on out, everything would just get larger, brighter, and louder. She just needed some time to adjust.

In a few more minutes, Clara approached them. Linking her arm through Charlotte’s, she motioned for Sidney to help lead the way. Soon, Clara had Charlotte smiling a little more, and the pep talk she was giving her seemed to be bolstering her as her posture stood a little taller. She paused to give Charlotte some quick tips on how to stand, and how to position her hands so that they were not just hanging at her sides, the small clutch she was carrying helped. Sidney led with Clara between them as the flashes popped. Clara leaned her head to talk to Charlotte and to help her relax, then the paparazzi were able to move on to the next subject for their ravenous need for digital content.

Charlotte had heard the calls from the photographers for Sidney to “look over here,” who were “the lovely ladies” who were with him, and a variety of other questions. He had remained smiling as he turned his head this way and that, adjusting so that they could all get a decent picture. He also did not hesitate when their time was up, and he led them through to the reception in the ballroom. The room was set up with small round standing tables near the bar and the round dance floor that was sunken in the center of the room. The band was playing soft jazz music, and the lights were a little low, but not so much that it felt like a nightclub. It was still easy to see from one end of the elegant room to the other. There were two more levels in semi circles around the dance floor on the outside of the room, where black linen-topped tables for 6, dotted with votive candles and green ferns for centerpieces were set up. The same wood-paneled walls that decorated the public spaces of the hotel kept the ballroom warm and cosy, in spite of the marble floors, and dark linens. Perhaps with this group, the seated tables would be better utilized to make deals and agreements, more so than to socialize. Stations of hors d’oeuvres and finger foods were set up to the side along a straight back wall for the attendees to pick and choose what they wanted, and of course, a full open bar. The bar is where Sidney gently guided Charlotte first, with his hand on the small of her back. Soda and Lime for him, a gin and tonic for her.

Turning to look at the room, Charlotte looked over the rim of her glass at the faces she had seen on the TV for quite a few years. Team bosses, Team Principals, F1 officials, FIA leaders, Aerodynamicists both good and great, then her eyes fell on someone who was a hero of hers. And likely a role model for quite a few of the younger people now working in F1. Currently, his occupation was that of Managing Director of Motor Sports, and Technical Director for the Formula One Group, which owns the marketing, television and merchandising rights, plus the planning and race management for the whole of Formula One. Essentially, the investment group that “owns” Formula 1. Prior to having this rather illustrious and important title, especially since it was created _for_ him, he led three different F1 teams to 9 World Championships as a constructor, and for his drivers as well. No one could match his record, his expertise in engineering and aerodynamics, or his technical understanding of racing.

His last job as an F1 competitor, was as the majority stakeholder for a team that bore his name for exactly one year, Brown GP. Taking over a Japanese team he had been working for, but had lost its sponsorships, he bought the controlling share of the team, with his other team leaders buying the rest. Together, they kept the factory going, kept the drivers they had, put a new engine in the car that they had designed, and ended up winning everything the following race season. Winning the majority of the races, podium finishes on most of the ones they didn’t win, the Constructor’s Championship, and first and second place in the Driver’s Championship. A Cinderella story to be sure, with him as the technical fairy godfather. If it wasn’t true, it would sound like an unbelievable, fanciful fiction. But it was true, all of it, and he had managed to keep a respectable and respected reputation through his many years of defeating others on the track, all the while working for 4 different teams including his own. After that one incredible year, he sold the team for an enormous profit. To Mercedes.

“ _Sidney_ ,” she whispered. “It’s Mr. _Brown_!” Her eyes looked like she had seen either the Queen, or Father Christmas. Sidney noticed the admiration she was showing both in her voice, and with his own knowledge of one Mr. Russell Brown.

He leaned down with his sideways grin. “Yes, it is… would you like to meet him?” He waited as she processed this. He could see as her eyes betrayed that she was thinking of every possible scenario. Biting her lip, and her eyebrows adjusting on her face in different configurations, her eyes blinking in erratic increments; she was clearly trying to weigh every possible option, which was probably in the thousands, he thought. He gently rubbed the back of his index finger on her arm to guide her back to the present.

“I... I want to you, yes… but… I’m not sure if I’m ready… I…” She stammered.

“He _is_ very nice, you know. He knew my parents, of course… He’s not nearly as intimidating as his CV may make you think.” He looked down at her, and with a wink added, “not unlike someone else I know.” She blushed at his comment.

Before she could make a decision, a small group of the other drivers had approached them to speak with Sidney, and did not try hard to hide that they also wanted to meet the woman standing next to him. Two of them French, and near her age, were very friendly, another one Spanish and a little older, who might have been the most beautiful man she had ever met, apart from Sidney. They were very relaxed, and as per Arthur’s instructions, she had to resist the urge to speak to them in their native tongues and stick to English. They were not as flirtatious as Dan had been, but Sidney had noticed them admiring Charlotte. The reveal of who she was, and what she did as an employee for Team Parker changed how they regarded her. At first it was with curiosity and wanting to meet a very attractive woman with Sidney Parker. His reputation would have let them think that she would no doubt be available, and on the market again very soon. With her position on the team however, they suddenly stood differently and their eyes were more discerning, wondering what she knew and what she might be capable of doing on the team. Now she was a competitor, and their eyes changed to watch her every move with an entirely different purpose. Ultimately, still friendly, but cautiously so.

Several of the other drivers stopped to talk to the small group, Dan was very friendly as always, a Russian driver she had seen racing before was more friendly than she imagined he would be, and one of the Ferrari drivers- a German and former World Champion who had known Sidney a long time. Then Charlotte met her dad’s favorite driver, and a hero to many young aspiring British drivers, multiple time World Champion, Lewis. He was a little more serious than the other drivers around him, but was very kind in conversation, and smiled freely. When Sidney introduced them, Charlotte told him about her dad watching him since his Karting days, and learning of her last name and recognizing the family business, engaged her in a long conversation about the direction of the sport. Michael had also found his way over, and the three of them spoke at length about the state of Karting in the UK, and ways that their own father had tried to keep costs down for promising drivers who couldn’t always afford the expenses involved. Slowly the group broke apart, as the leader of the FIA made a small speech to the crowd welcoming everyone, and wishing everyone luck and safe racing for the season ahead.

They excused themselves from the group of remaining men to find something to eat, and to get another drink from the bar. They stood at one of the small high-top tables taking a moment to relax, and were soon joined by Arthur. Sidney noticed that Charlotte was still glancing at wherever Mr. Brown was milling through the crowd. Arthur had called over a few more lead engineers from other teams to chat, and Charlotte was introduced, and received much the same welcome as she’d had from Christian and the 3 drivers from earlier. She did not match what they knew about aerodynamicists. Arthur pointed out the other technical leaders from the other teams. Some she already recognized, some were younger and newer like her. None of them female. A few of the engineers that Arthur introduced her to _were_ women, and she knew of two mechanics on the pit lane for other teams were also, but most of the women here were counter parts to Clara, or logistics managers of some kind.

She was in a quiet conversation with Arthur, when a large hand from a tall man in his 60’s clamped down on Sidney’s shoulder. “And how is the family ‘Parker’ doing this evening, gentlemen?” It was the kind yet booming voice of Mr. Brown, and Charlotte was sure that her mouth had fallen open at the surprise and proximity of him.

“Russell!” Sidney smiled widely and turned, shook his hand and placed his left hand on his shoulder while he wore a wide smile. Russell came close to giving him a hug.

“Arthur, how is the engineering department going? Any new interesting developments in store for us tomorrow, perhaps?” He asked with a twinkle, and hoping to get something new and innovative to talk about now that his work took him in a different direction.

Arthur laughed heartily. “Surely you have already heard of our new partnership with Heywood Racing. Are you familiar with them?” He asked as bait, since Charlotte was stood right next to him. Russell’s eyes flicked quickly at Charlotte and back to Arthur.

“Well, I’ve been out of the country with work, so… most of what I’ve heard has been from Christian.” He confirmed.

Arthur rolled his eyes, but laughed still. “Allow me to introduce you, Russell… this is Dr. Charlotte Heywood, of Heywood Racing and now _Parker Racing’s_ Technical Director. Charlotte, this is Mr. Russell Brown.” He put his large hand out to shake hers, and she took it in what felt like slow motion. He really was tall up close, and a little round in the middle, as to be expected with his age.

His eyes were kind behind his spectacles, and his smile genuine. He was not trying to figure out what was in her head as the others had, maybe because he was one of the few people who already knew the way her mind worked, or at least partially. She found the courage to finally speak. “How do you do, Mr. Brown? It is an honor to meet you.” There! She really could not have done or said more at that point, but it was very respectful, she thought.

“Yes, yes, I believe I may have met your father years ago. Some of the World Karting events, while we recruited talent for the driver’s development programs.” He turned to Sidney, “that’s where we tried to nab you, _AND_ Diana, without any luck.” He added with a chuckle. He looked back at Charlotte. “And now you’re here in F1… well done, well done.” He looked between the brothers. “And how have the Parkers been treating you?”

She swallowed so she could talk, “very well, thank you. It’s only been 5 weeks, though it seems longer.” She smiled, “Although that could be the lack of sleep during testing week.” He chuckled in response.

“Oh yes, I remember those days. You don’t get grey hair like mine without a lot of sleepless nights,” he said as he smiled broadly. His eyes examined her a little more closely now. “Technical Director… a rather imposing title for a new person working in F1. Usually, those with that title get a few years in engineering or design to wet their feet.” He looked at her in much the same way her father looked at her on occasion. “The convenience for me, of working with F1 now, and not on a team, is that I get to really work with everyone. You let me know if you have any questions.” He said quite softly, but with a smile. “I’ve known these Parkers their whole lives, so I know you’re in good company there,” which he added with a hand clapping on Arthur’s back, giving him a bit of a start.

“Thank you, Mr. Brown, I appreciate that.” He was as kind as Sidney had alluded to.

“Oh, Russell, please.” He added. “We’ll be seeing a lot of one another through the season!” He paused for a moment, “In fact… if you don’t mind Sidney, would you mind getting me another drink? Macallan, neat.”

Sidney smiled, “Certainly. Good idea, Charlotte?” She nodded, and then Arthur chimed in saying he needed a refresher, and left with Sidney to bring back the 4 drinks.

She watched them walk toward the bar before she looked back at Russell who was watching her. Finally, he spoke. “Dr. Charlotte Heywood.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement, he looked down and fiddled with his empty glass before speaking again. “I got my ‘ _honorary doctorate’_ when I gave a commencement speech, not a _real_ one, and only _after_ I got my OBE.” He looked back up at her as he chuckled. “It’s quite an accomplishment for someone so young, your parents must be proud.” It wasn’t sentimental, or wistful, simply a statement.

“I believe so,” she answered anyway, still watching him. A little unnerved that she was standing there talking with him. “But it did require them to make some sacrifices, for them and my family.” She now looked down at her empty glass.

Russell himself was a father, near the same age as her parents, he was going to be a grandfather soon. “They must have had a lot of faith in you.” He added.

She shrugged slightly, then chuckled lightly before looking back at him. “I’m afraid I didn’t really give them much choice,” she smiled. “I was rather determined.”

He laughed. “Then I suppose you didn’t leave them room to doubt you.”

She took a deep breath. “No, I suppose not.” She smiled at his comment.

“And clearly, you have proven that an inability to doubt you was the correct reaction, if your own results speak for themselves.” He looked more piercingly at her. She understood what he was saying. Equal and opposite reactions. Her youth was just that, a number. Who she was, would be more important. More unnerving, was that it could have also meant that she would be _expected_ to succeed; leaving no room for doubt.

“I started as a mechanic and machinist,” he continued. “I can’t say that my parents were thrilled that my mechanical engineering degree was going to work with an ‘upstart’ racing team,” he smiled. “I proved myself eventually,” and this is where she laughed. He was probably the most accomplished team manager in the entire sport. He asked her then about her aerodynamics research, what she had worked on, the materials they had worked with and developed, what she had thought of the program for Race Car Design she had completed at Southampton Uni. She easily told him a few stories from her research, that only someone like him could understand.

He was laughing at something she said when Sidney looked back to check on her. He was telling her a story now, and using the empty glasses on the table as examples as he moved them around to illustrate a point. He could see Charlotte’s ‘memory chips’ working in her head as he spoke. Her head then tilt slightly as her eyes focused at varying spots on the table, and then her own hands adjusting the glasses slightly, while she explained something to him, and using her hands to further illustrate what she was explaining. Russell was shaking his head and smiling at her as she talked, clearly learning something from this young woman, and then laughing after the last thing she had said, and now she was laughing too. Sidney was already holding two glasses, and Arthur was waiting for the other two. He felt Arthur nudge his elbow when both his hands were full with the drinks.

“Looks like Charlotte has made a new friend,” he whispered cheerfully in Sidney’s ear.

“Looks like, Arthur.” They walked back over to the table, and Sidney smiled down at her as he handed her the new G and T.

Arthur handed Russell his drink. “Thank you, Arthur! Charlotte tells me that you have been a great _co-conspirator_ at work. I’m glad to hear it.” Russell Brown had felt a sense of responsibility to look after the young Parkers after their parents died, even if from afar.

Arthur smiled, “Charlotte makes working with her easy,” he said almost dismissing the compliment.

“I can see how that would be possible,” Russell added with a small smile. “Charlotte, it was a pleasure to meet you, I look forward to more conversations with you in the near future,” and he held his glass up. “Cheers, Parkers! Dr Heywood,” he added more quietly before taking a small drink. “Time to make more rounds, lovely to see you all,” and with a nod to each of them he was off to dazzle another table with his presence.

Once he had moved on, Charlotte took a moment, and then giggled delightedly. The two Parkers at the table looked at her, amused. “THAT, was _Russell Brown_!” She whispered excitedly. In most other circles, that kind of adulation would have been reserved for someone like Paul McCartney, or Diana Ross, or David Bowie. A hero, a trailblazer, an innovator and original thinker.

Sidney was watching as her face showed that her brain was still working and processing everything that had just happened. “Yes, and I daresay that he seemed equally pleased to have met _you_.” He raised his glass to her in a toast as he said it.

“Oh, stop Sidney! Let me enjoy this for a moment.” Then she thought, “Blast! I should have had someone take a picture so that I could send it to Papa. He would have loved that,” she said smiling.

“Believe me, I’m enjoying this as much as you are!” He said smiling. “And we can definitely get a picture another time.” Arthur laughed at the two of them teasing each other, as well as Charlotte’s fangirling over Russ Brown.

Arthur remembered to ask, “What were the two of you talking about, anyway?”

“He was telling me about a problem they’d had one season when he was still at Ferrari.” She said dismissively. “Of course, it’s not like the cars are anywhere _near_ the same as they were back then, entirely different actually. But I think we may have fixed an issue that had confounded them.” She added simply, before she took a sip from her new glass and seemed to think nothing of it.

Arthur was looking at her before he looked up at Sidney, both of them curious. They were both quiet so Charlotte finally looked up at them with her brows asking a question of them.

Arthur finally braved to say something out loud. “You ‘fixed’ it? You ‘fixed’ a problem that _Russ Brown, and Ferrari_ could not fix for the last 20 years… sitting here at this table, for what… 15 minutes?” He had been watching her work for a month now, but this was beyond what he had previously witnessed.

She shook her head and shrugged, swallowing the mouthful of gin and tonic water with lime. “I don’t know for sure if we ‘ _fixed_ ’ it, but Mr. Brown seemed pleased. Plus,” she laughed a little, “I don’t think they’re _still working_ on the problem, Arthur. It was such a long time ago! Besides, they had it almost there, it’s just that developments in diagnostics and research have changed significantly since then. They probably missed some turbulence with the airflow over their front wing settings going into the sidepods, that affected the rear wing and then down-force in some of the faster turns,” she added simply before saying, “I’m hungry, I’ll be right back.”

The brothers watched, still stunned, as she walked toward a “station” with sushi, and waited her turn with 2 people in front of her.

“She did that, just talking with Russell,” Arthur said softly with a shrug, to Sidney as they both watched her where she was waiting. He shook his head, “without any data, or visual references other than her memory and what Russ said,” Sidney nodded. “Just…” and Arthur really couldn’t finish. He has seen her work for weeks, but to solve a problem like that, without anything but visualizing the problem on her own. He was still astounded. Plus, she didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. Finally, his voice returned. “Really Sidney, how? How does she do that?!”

Sidney answered with a grin, thinking instead of what it was like to be with her in the privacy of their room. “I don’t know, but she is human like the rest of us, Arthur. She was terrified to meet Russ earlier. He must have ‘cracked the code’ to get her to open up to him. A meeting of like minds, I suppose,” he was watching her return with an assortment of different sushi, and some pieces from a variety of different sushi rolls. She offered some to Sidney, he declined.

When she offered some to Arthur, he looked at her and picked one of the pieces up without even looking at the plate, and uttered a “thank you.” He had seen her work herself exhausted, and had seen how quickly she had assimilated the information they had accumulated on their own cars. Analyzing thousands of data points and results from the sensors in record time, single-handedly. But to solve a problem that had eluded some of the most experienced and successful designers and engineers from one of the most storied programs, during their most successful string of racing seasons, that was simply otherworldly. He shook his head to come back to the present. He could see that Sidney was ready to leave with her soon by the puppy dog eyes he was giving her. He popped another piece of sushi in his mouth, and almost choked on the intensity of the wasabi that was hidden somewhere underneath the thin slice of fish. Trying to push through it, he immediately finished his drink. He was still coughing when Sidney passed his soda water over to him to help with the eye-watering sting in the back of his throat that spread up to his sinuses.

Charlotte patted him on the back. “Are you alright, Arthur?” They were attracting some attention at Arthur’s reddening face. He managed to nod through his coughs, banging the end of his fist against his chest, hoping to get the wasabi all the way down his throat. “Arthur, I’m so sorry! I had no idea it would be that strong,” she added, worried that he might not be OK. She moved to go to the bar. “Stay with him, Sidney, I’ll get more water.”

She had made the urgent request for water and was waiting, anxiously tapping her foot for the bartender to move faster while he finished another drink. A young man in an elegant black suit, with straight, bright blonde hair that flopped a little over his forehead, had moved next to her, pushed himself up with his hands on the edge of the bar, leaned his upper body over the bar top, and grabbed a tall glass. Then he found the soda and water dispenser nozzle, landed back on his feet, and pressed the correct button for water to fill the glass. He handed it to her when he was finished. Surprised at his quick-thinking help, she said, “Thank you…umm?”

“Nico,” he answered politely and smiled.

She smiled in return, he looked familiar to her somehow. “Thank you, Nico. I’m Charlotte.”

“Delighted to be of assistance, Charlotte. It was my pleasure.” He smiled as he spoke in his very slight French accent, and then moved to the side so that she could return to the table to help Arthur. His bright blue eyes were watching her the whole time as she moved in her tight knee-length dress, and on those elegant high heels. Her chocolate, wavy hair bounced as she moved quickly back toward Arthur. He marveled at her beauty, as her hair fell around the golden skin on her bare shoulders when she leaned forward to help Arthur, who was now seated in a chair. “Charlotte.” He quietly let her name roll off his lips, his accent embracing every sound her name evoked in his native tongue, and then he smiled to himself, and whispered again. “ _Mon plaisir_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Race fans will recognize that I stole liberally from reality with the character of Russell Brown. He is actually Ross Brawn, in real life. That is his actual job title with the Formula One group, and that long list of extraordinary achievements is ALL his, and I'm sure he has more that I missed. I couldn't make that up and have it sound realistic, so I just borrowed straight from reality. He is also a big inspiration for the character of Charlotte in this story. I also popped a few real racing drivers mixed in with fictional ones, and Christian from the last chapter is borrowed directly from Team Principal for Red Bull, Christian Horner. Who, incidentally, is the youngest ever person to be placed in that type of leadership role in real life. He then lured a brilliant aerodynamicist to help lead Red Bull to their 4 World Championships. Just giving credit where it is due.
> 
> The party looks for Charlotte and Clara are below if you want to see them. 
> 
> Charlotte:  
> https://us.dolcegabbana.com/en/women/shoes/sandals-and-wedges/polished-calfskin-sandals-black-CR0864AA80380999.html  
> https://us.dolcegabbana.com/en/women/clothing/dresses/woolen-fabric-pinstripe-midi-dress-multicolored-F6H8XTFR2XIS8052.html
> 
> Clara:  
> https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-us/shop/product/bottega-veneta/ruched-stretch-knit-halterneck-dress/1256658


	35. Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry/Happy Christmas! I had to stop where I did because the chapter would have been twice as long as usual (rambling), and I wanted to get this part to you this week without any other delays. Thank you for all the kind words, and encouragement with this story! Please take care, stay safe, and I hope that you all have a lovely holiday break this weekend. XOXO

Chapter 35

Truths

The following morning, Charlotte picked up her dress, under-things, and her shoes from different corners of Sidney’s room from where they had been thrown, in the frenzy that had been their desire to have each other naked as quickly as possible the night before. It took more than a few minutes to find one of her shoes, as it had been hiding under Sidney’s crumpled shirt, the last article of clothing that had been discarded. Sidney was in the shower, and she peeked her head through the open door just as the water was turning off.

“Good morning, Dearest.” She smiled, and then saw herself in the foggy mirror on the wall. Apparently “smoky eyes” did not hold up well once they had been slept on. She was quickly rubbing her few available fingers under each lower eyelid trying to clean some of it up, but Sidney had been watching.

“Don’t worry about that,” he smiled. “I’m rather proud to have been the man to cause such a mess on… such a _beautifu_ l landscape,” he added softly as he walked toward her while wrapping his towel around his waist. His voice was lower now that he was in front of her. She was now blushing as she still stood in the doorway. “In fact, I’m not sure that I’m finished,” he smirked and then lifted her chin to kiss her gently.

The water dripped down from his hair onto her face, as she managed to wrap her arms, full of her outfit from the party last night in her hands, around his neck and pulled him tighter. In the next moment, his arms were around her naked waist, helping to close any gaps between them. Finally pulling herself back just enough to speak, “Mmmm, that is a _delightful_ way to wake up in the morning,” Charlotte whispered.

“With you naked in my arms? I could not agree more,” Sidney mumbled, teasing against her lips before kissing her with increasing fervor, as his hands explored her back. It was minutes before they could move apart, and only because they could hear the buzzing of their phones.

Free practices sessions 1 and 2 were today, and more than one person was trying to reach each of them, despite the early hour. Their foreheads were pressed against each other when Sidney, frustrated, broke the spell. Uttering obscenities under his breath, he strode over to where his phone was charging next to the bed. He looked up from the list of unopened texts to see her standing, adjusting her things from last night between her two hands. Her hair still with shiny waves, her radiant skin glowing with the rising sunlight streaming in from the windows, and the feeling in his chest almost took his breath. Not how she looked, but how looking at her made him feel.

She looked up at him and gave her small lovely smile. “I suppose it’s time to get ready?” She asked. He nodded slowly in response, worried that the sounds of words would get stuck in his throat if he tried to speak. “Well then, I suppose I need to head to my room to do just that.” He watched her pick up her small clutch that had been tossed on his armchair the night before, and walk toward the door of her bedroom, directly across from his. Every movement she made was increasing the pressure on his chest. He realized that was what the sensation was. It felt like something very heavy sitting on his chest, and he took a deep breath to try and release some of the pressure, but as long as he was looking at her, the feeling only increased.

What was it that Diana had asked him yesterday? Was he in love? It had been so very long ago, and this was not the same feeling as that. He smiled at her as she gave him a small wave before going in to her own bathroom to get ready. No, this feeling was living on a different planet compared to that, he thought. He didn’t even want to name, “that.” It seemed to only look dark and lost compared to “this.” _This_ was a blinding early-morning sunrise through the tall windows of the engineering department, _this_ was bright winter constellations shining at night on the back of his terrace, this was warm golden skin in a dark blue dress, deep brown eyes and a determined chin that took down all of his walls with their unyielding search for truth in everything they took in. “ _This_ ” had to be what it felt like to be falling in love. All of his inexplicable feelings from the first moment he felt his stomach tense when he met her. That first long look, when she stared him down with the contempt he deserved. He almost laughed as he shook his head thinking on it. “Overwhelmed, indeed,” he whispered to himself with a soft smile.

Then he remembered that today was Friday. They had only been dating technically for a week. He was suddenly giddy thinking he should do something special for their one-week anniversary. Then he thought that maybe that was too much. One week? How had it only been one week?! Then he thought back on the previous weeks since he had met her. All the signs were there if he had paid more attention to them, and when he did pay attention to them, he tried to deny them. No wonder it felt longer than that. Before he answered any of his messages and voicemails, he made a call to his friend the concierge. It would be a busy day, one that had no guarantee of ending at a manageable hour. But there was still something he could do to mark the occasion. Nothing too flash or extravagant. She wouldn’t like that anyway. Hopefully, _this_ would be just right.

She emerged from her room a half hour later, her unwashed hair pulled up in a high ponytail at the back of her head, still shiny and waving with each movement, and curling some of the waves together at the ends. Her hair being pulled away from her face only made her eyes look larger, and her curve of her pink lips stand out more. There was not the usual curtain of hair to hide behind. She set down her packed tote in one of the dining chairs, team gear on and ready, the pewter team jacket stuffed on top of the things in her bag in case of rain, and her phone in her hand texting return responses. Sidney was also packed, dressed, and ready. He took her in as she moved around, and now that he could easily visualize her without the team uniform, or anything else on, he could barely hold back his sideways grin. She looked up at him watching her.

“What? Am I really that late? I’m so sorry! You could have gone ahead without me, I know you have a lot of prep to do, and Diana is _not_ one to cross when she has _plans_.” Her eyes widened as her brows raised, hoping to deter any wrath from Diana's strict instructions. He walked to her and cut off the panicked rambling and now furrowed brow, with an arm around her waist, and a sublimely slow and tender kiss as he pulled her flush against him. He refused to let go of her lips until he felt her relax in his arms.

They separated, both of them breathless, and Sidney nuzzled his nose against hers. She broke into her sweet smile. The low register of his voice reassuring her, “No, my Darling, you are not late, you do not have to be sorry about anything, and the last thing I am going to do is leave this room without you today.” He leaned in for a more intense, but much shorter kiss. “On second thought, perhaps you should be sorry for being so damn irresistible. I find it hard to focus on anything but you whenever you’re near.” He added with his grin and a wink.

When he pulled his arm away, Charlotte found it hard to balance, and laid her hand on the tall back of the chair she was standing near. “I could say the same, Dearest,” she responded. He turned to look at her in time to see her regain her equilibrium and wink in his direction. He stepped toward her again, picked up her bag, despite her protests, and another quick kiss before they headed down to breakfast. Responsibilities awaiting them both.

The crowds trying to enter the track were bigger than she had expected for practice sessions, but the weather was ideal today, and the locals must have taken advantage of the fair Autumn conditions to take a day from work to watch the cars weave through the park. The tall wide grandstands across from the pit lane and down the start/finish straight were scattered with fans. By Saturday and Sunday, she knew the sold-out event would be a wall of humans several stories high, and almost loud enough to drown out the sounds of the engines. More grandstands were strategically placed at different locations all around the track, and Melbourne also had many open general admission areas to allow even more spectators to enjoy the excitement.

The new slogan banners for the year had just been posted everywhere there was a prominent wall. Most noticeable, was the one on the front of the long pit garage, covering the entire length. The “We Race as One” slogan, followed by the inclusive pride rainbow was now the official F1 slogan for the year. It was in addition to the “End Racism” slogan that had already been in use before. She shook her head in personal embarrassment, thinking about when she had seen it the first time a few days ago. Part of the large two-story banner on the end of the pit lane had been partially obscured by trucks, leading her to think that it had incredulously said “End Racing” before the rest of it came into view. The split second of panic had made her think it was a protest until the rest was visible. She had known of the more visible support the sport was taking, the slogans were on all the teams’ shirts, and highlighted on every sign and banner, each car, and many of the helmets also bore the new slogan. In this moment when she saw the new banner wide, imposing, and unquestionable in its meaning, it seemed to be something different. It made her proud, the steps that this sport which was mostly white, was taking to recognize struggles that were happening elsewhere. It didn’t hurt that Lewis, the current World Champion was also black, as well as a couple drivers of Asian descent. It truly was a world-wide sport, and it only made sense to make the differences part of their identity. Even if she was one of the few women here, she still had to own up to being part of the majority, and somehow that settled her going into the weekend. Knowing that this year, her first year of what she hoped would be many, was the year that the powerful and influential people in the sport were working to make it a place for everyone.

They had already been working on the cars for many hours as the first practice at noon approached, and things looked to be on time for the first session that would start in 40 minutes. Headsets were on for communication, now that all the garages were loud with activity around them. There were people moving constantly between their garages and the pit wall, and Arthur had been right about teams sticking with the language most associated with their team’s location or sponsor. Parker Racing was next to the French team on the pit lane, and early on she had picked up that one of the cars was having trouble with either one of its oil pressure sensors, or with the oil pressure itself, neithre of which was good. The Austrian team, two garages further down to the right, spoke mostly English as their team factory was in England. But as one of their drivers was German, he was speaking in his native language to one of the engineers close to the pit wall, and also his team’s Austrian managing director. He was apparently more concerned about the reliability of their new engine manufacturer, despite the fact that Charlotte knew how well their engine had performed for them in testing. Nerves, she thought.

Each of the free practice sessions on Friday were an hour and a half long. They had time in between for a break, a news conference with team leaders, and to make changes to the cars for those in the garage with the data they collected. The morning session on Saturday was just one hour, and then qualifying later on in the afternoon. Charlotte had positioned herself at this point, almost in the pit lane facing the middle of their garage so that she could watch both sets of mechanics and engineers as they worked on the cars. With her dark sunglasses on, she could observe without turning her head. On their right was the French team, on their left was a team that really had no ‘country’ other than Britain now. It had been several owners and sponsors over the past 5 years, and as most teams are based in England for their manufacturing, they became a British team by default. Two more teams were in garages on their left, with the rest of the teams stretching out further on their right.

Teams have their pit garage locations determined by their team standing the year before. The top teams can choose their location, but strategy-wise, choosing the spots closer to the back of the pit lane, or the first garages near the pit entrance from the track, was always the better location, the first stop in the pit lane. Therefore, the teams were pretty much organized in first to tenth in direct order from their finish the season before. This left the Parker Racing team in the seventh position, exactly where they had finished last year. So, whether the pit lane entered from the right or the left, depending on the track, the teams would always remain in the same garage position for the entire season. Good for safety and consistency during pit stops, and also a handy reminder as to who exactly was on top of the heap, and who wasn’t.

Charlotte was pleased with what she was seeing from their garage at this point. They were organized, calm, even the occasional laughter could be heard, which was good for morale. The drivers were both anxious to get out on the track, and also tried to stay out of the way or out of the garage all together once their input had been noted. The construction for both cars looked good. They were going to work on front wing settings, where the ballast was set in the cars, try two different types of the tyres that were allotted for the race that weekend. Measure how the cars worked with different fuel loads, and also work out brake biases for the different corners and turn sequences. There are a lot of fast corners at the Albert Park track, and too much down-force would slow them down in the wrong places.

Arthur had been the hands-on engineer in the garage, she knew that her role would really come into focus once they had more data from the practice sessions. She talked to Babington, confirmed their list for Sidney’s session, and then to Michael to go over James’ list. Once finished, she noticed that Michael’s shoulders were raised and tense. This was his first test at this level as well. She reached up and laid her hand on his left shoulder as she kept an eye on the garage. Slowly she started to feel it drop, and his hand patted her on the back before he walked over to James, already buckled in his car, for one last check in. 10 minutes left. Babington was with Sidney, ready, and being assisted with the buckle for his harness by one of the technicians, shoulder protector placed, his helmet was already on, but his visor was up. Once Babington had left, she lowered her sunglasses. A quick gap between the mechanics still moving and checking on the car, and his deep brown eyes met hers. He winked, and she smiled, before she moved the lenses back in front of her eyes, and turned to settle in on the pit wall.

They did not want to waste time with the cars sitting in the garage once the clock started counting down the 90 minutes they had. Fred would first get confirmation from the Race Director that the pit lane would open not long before the signal light at the end of the pit lane would flash green. The team would move in a carefully choreographed routine to get the drivers on the track as quickly as possible. 5 minutes. The engines had been started, multiple sensors throughout the car were checked through the engineering team's computers. Temps checked, tyre warmers still tightly in place, the engine revving to move the hot oil through every space. Finally, the last oil hose was removed from Sidney’s car, and then James’. Fred, on the team comms gave direction to each of the number one mechanics on either side of the garage. Warmers on the tyres were loosened, leaving only the space where the tyre rested on the garage floor uncovered. 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10…

Sidney’s mechanic moved first with Fred’s signal, the warming jackets were swiftly pulled away, the mechanic moved aside with one more hand signal, and the first Parker Racing Team car squealed onto the pit lane. Once Sidney was in line at the end of the pit lane, behind 3 other cars, the light changed to green, and one after the other, the drivers and their cars had their first chance on a racing circuit since the middle of December and the last race of the previous season. James was right behind him. Not every team was ready to jump out of the pit lane and onto the track. Some teams wanted to wait and see how the other cars perform on their tyres, how did the track respond on the best racing line, and also to wait until the traffic eased up. Charlotte and Arthur argued with their engineers and strategists, that the data they could collect was more important than playing chess with the other teams. They wanted to go and get what they wanted, to learn as much as possible, and let the game players play on without them.

The comms were open in Arthur and Charlotte’s headsets, so that they could hear the feedback from both the drivers. They did not have their mics on for the drivers to hear them, that would have been a distraction. The driver only hears their Race Engineer, unless something is overridden and a channel is opened. A very few people had that option available. From what they could hear, things were going smoothly. A little too much understeer for Sidney’s liking, that could be adjusted. James wanted a little “more wing” in the front to help with the corners. The tyres felt good, they were both getting decent grip from the medium tyres, but it was sunny, and the session had started at noon. The later session at 4 would give them a better idea for race conditions. For now, it was a good way to test the corners, try different racing lines, braking points before the apex of the turns, and push to see how fast it could go in the straights. Sidney came back into the pit first. Babington had him “box” for the hard tyres. “Try them with the hot conditions, let see how far you can push,” he’d added.

Sidney’s car came in and stopped. He was wheeled into the garage for a tyre change and to make some adjustments. Babington walked over to talk with him as they placed the double, "V" shaped computer monitor attachment in front of Sidney on top of the car. Sidney was going over the charts and sensor feedback on the screens with Babington, while the mechanics checked his car and changed his tyres. Charlotte heard Arthur grumble in the seat next to her. “I wish we could practice the pit stops today with James. He won’t be used to the F1 set up. His first real test will be in the race on Sunday.” She could see his worry in how he was shaking his head. The teams’ mechanics and garage technicians also doubled as the pit crew. There were back-ups for each position if necessary, and the men practiced the pit stop routine regularly through the season at the factory, as well as in the off season. Taking notes, and watching recordings of their practices to see where they could improve their times, but nothing compares to doing it in a live pit garage on a track.

Charlotte said, “At least they give us half an hour tomorrow just to practice the pit stops with the men. We can talk to the crew and see what concerns they might have before then.” He nodded. She returned her attention to the data that was coming in. deciphering what needed more work, how did the two cars compare, how did the data with the medium tyres compare with the hard, and then what were the threshold of the tyres. How did they wear, a what number of laps were they the fastest, how long could they last under heavier fuel loads? If they could get away with only one pit stop per race, which was always preferable, how well would that work for them?

Babington had returned right before Sidney was released out onto the track again. She looked over James telemetry information and looked over at Michael. He appeared to be noticing the same thing she was. The medium tyres had hit their limit and his times were slowing significantly, even with having less weight in the car as the fuel burned down. She reached around Fred on her left, tapped Michael on the arm. “It’s time,” Michael nodded and spoke with Fred to make the call to the pit lane. It was actually past time, but they could still use that information to help with strategy for the race. The tyres degraded more quickly in the heat of this early afternoon, and if they looked back at the different sectors, they may also be able to pinpoint which kerbs he was hitting too roughly.

Once Michael had completed the same routine with James to go over his data, as Babington had with Sidney, Charlotte let Arthur know that she was headed to the garage to inspect the tyres more closely. She had the crew help get the tyres back out so she could get a closer look. Lifting her sunglasses, she ran her hand along the roughened and peeling sections on the 4 tyres. As she had expected, there was blistering on the slick surface, and more severe degradation on another of the tyres, probably from hitting kerbs too high or too hard. No flat spots, which meant he hadn’t had a lock up that she may have missed, so that was good news. But it was clear, tyre management was something James was going to have to work on. It also meant that he needed some adjustment to his settings before the next practice. Once back in her seat on the pit wall, she relayed her findings to Arthur, and they set several of the engineers to compare his telemetry data for the tyre wear with the 4 separate corners of the car. Hopefully they would help to narrow down the causes so that Charlotte could pay attention to more of the aero data that was coming through.

The 90 minutes were over in what felt like half an hour, it certainly didn’t feel like enough time. There was another press conference in half an hour, but Tom was in charge of that one. Arthur had typed him a quick email to give him points and answers to some of the questions they would probably ask, then he and Charlotte headed straight to the control center to meet with the engineers working on the problems. She had ideas of course, but as much as she could manage to solve things quickly, there was simply too much that was arriving too fast, to do it all by herself. Some of the solutions or possible answers she instantly knew were wrong, so at least they were able to sift through some of the problems quickly. Sidney’s car seemed to be doing fairly well. Or at least it was responding the way they had expected it to. She and Arthur had called the drivers in for a quick meeting with the other engineers to hear their impressions of the cars were working on the track.

Each person was sitting down at a computer, the telemetry of the different sectors of the track for each car was studied as much as it could be during the short break. Each driver gave his impression of how the brakes worked, the steering, the grip of the tyres, the control of their respective cars, how the different tyres measured up, and how the track was feeling with the newer surface. A quick consult with James, and once everyone had returned from a lunch break, Charlotte, Michael, and Arthur would head back to the garage to give instructions to the mechanics for his car. This next practice would start at 4, the same time as the race on Sunday.

There were quick lunches for the track crew at the picnic tables set up in the grassy areas, under some of the park’s trees by the team control centers. Reporters and other guests were milling through and walking past on the paved paths. Charlotte had taken her lunch someplace else for a quiet moment, and sat under one of the trees towards the back of the complex that overlooked Albert Park Lake. She was organizing her thoughts from the morning, and thinking through some of the problems as she ate her sandwich, occasionally writing a note with her stylus on her iPad. She also sent an email to her parents, keeping them informed of how the team was doing, and what they had been working on and trying to adjust and fix. Her dad replied via text promptly, wanting to give his support and encouragement, as he had obviously been up very late to watch the session live back in Willingden. He shared how the food and supplements were working for him. Some days were better than others, and some days he didn’t want to eat anything at all except a plain cup of tea. He was trying to keep the conversation light, but suddenly Charlotte was overcome with the emotions surrounding her father’s illness that she regularly worked on ignoring, or hiding altogether. She wiped the sudden and large drops from her eyes with her left hand while she texted her dad back with her right. ‘Stupid tears,’ she thought, as she finally had to use the hem of her team shirt to catch some of them. Luckily her father signed-off, and she was able to lift her head up to keep any more of them from escaping.

With her sunglasses resting on top of her head, she looked up through the branches of the tree she sat under, and noticed that the leaves were going to change color soon. A few breaths later, she was more in control, but still raw.

“Charlotte?” The delicate French accent from the night before was talking to her again.

She sat up straight, and hoped her eyes weren’t that red. Turning her head, she saw Nico just 2 meters away. Charcoal grey suit trousers, cognac colored dress shoes, and a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar and the cuffs, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She forced a smile. “Oh, Nico! Nice to see you again.” She said politely.

His head tilted to the side as he was walking toward her. He slipped his silver aviator sunglasses from his hands into his shirt pocket. “Is it? You somehow seem… upset.” He asked quietly.

She grinned with her lips tightly together, and let her eyes drop. “I suppose it’s obvious,” she responded quietly as she looked away.

He cautiously stepped toward her. “Is there anything I can do to help?” He waited. “I suppose a glass of water would not be enough to help you, right now,” he said lightly. She rewarded him with a small smile and her eyes looked less burdened.

“Well, water is always helpful,” she added and her smile was now more relaxed. She took a breath. “Thank you for your offer, but I’m afraid that this problem is many miles away, and far outside of my abilities to fix.” She said resignedly.

He approached her a little more closely, and sat down in the grass near her, but not next to her. His knees were up, and he leaned back on his hands in the grass, clearly not concerned for his custom-tailored clothes. “I am very sorry.” He simply said.

A few moments passed. “You don’t need to be sorry, it’s not anything you would be able to fix either, I’m sure. And you did nothing to cause it.” She said quietly and factually, assuming that he did not hold the key to curing cancer somewhere behind his blue eyes.

He laughed in way that still sounded like his French accent. “No, probably not.” He looked over at her. “I should leave you alone with your thoughts,” and he moved to get up.

“Oh, no need.” She grinned slightly. “My thoughts tend to get me in trouble sometimes. A distraction is often the best solution,” she added with a tilt of her head, and she turned her body more towards him. He then saw the team shirt with the logos on the chest and sleeves of the shirt she was wearing.

“You work for Parker Racing?” He observed. “They did well this morning at practice.” He smiled.

Her brows dipped in a slight furrow between them, she really knew nothing about this man, apart from that he appeared to be kind. But with all the warnings Arthur had given, she decided not to give too much away. She then forced a more relaxed expression. “Yes, so far so good,” she said very generally. She looked around and realized how strangely secluded it was here near the banks of the lake, despite the fact that these were the conditions she had been seeking. “So, Uh, do you work for one of the teams?” It was time to try and find out what his motives might be.

His light laugh returned. “No, I am here, well I suppose it is something of a fact-finding mission. My father,” and he shook his head showing that he was not happy with the situation. “Well, my father is and investor in a team in the World Endurance Championship series.” He added.

“Oh, the LMP1 series?” She asked. She was suddenly curious and couldn’t help herself. These were some of the most technologically advanced vehicles in the world. Prototypes, not open-wheel like Formula series racing. They looked more like space ships, plus with the distance racing, they had to be incredibly reliable.

His eyebrows jumped, “Yes, that one,” he said, a little bit surprised, but she did work for a race team. More than one type of car competed in these endurance events, and she happened to choose the right one.

“Fascinating,” and her eyes woke up again.

“Is it?” He looked over the lake toward the other side. “I’m not so sure, but I’m also not very close with my father, so that could be the source of my… lack of motivation.” He looked back at her with a small smile. “I just finished University, Business and Economics,” he added and then took a deep breath. “My father is getting older, and wants to include me in the management of his business holdings.” He seemed more resigned, or reluctant to his fate than excited.

“I suppose… if it wasn’t what you _wanted_ to do, then you probably wouldn’t find it very interesting,” she added sympathetically. “Speaking as a person with _some_ experience, working for her father, even when you _want_ to do it, it can be extremely difficult. If you, perhaps… _didn’t_ want to… it must be somewhat… unbearable,” she cautiously offered. He smiled at her assessment.

“Yes. Not all the time, but it is often feeling unbearable.” He confirmed. It was the first time while speaking with him, that his English had not been exacting and perfect. He looked at her and smiled. She was getting ready to offer some words of encouragement when her phone buzzed and her watch pinged with notifications.

“Goodness! I lost track of the time. I have to go!” She stood abruptly, and he stood as well. “Thank you, Nico. It was nice talking with you again. Good luck with your father!” She waved as she hurried away with her iPad, and placed her sunglasses back on in the afternoon light.

“Thank you for listening, Charlotte. I hope to see you again soon.” He spoke as he smiled. She smiled back at him, and was soon lost in the throng of people rushing to their posts for the rapidly approaching second practice session.

It was a quick sprint back toward the garage to talk with the mechanics, Arthur, Michael, and Babington. There was still some debate among the engineers about the adjustments they were deciding upon. Charlotte had been thinking about her father at home, and how supportive he had been, how encouraging, and how he had done everything to help her get where she was. The things that Nico had barely touched upon was nothing like her experience with her father and her family. She looked at the sudden disarray in the garage, and how even with the earlier meeting, the structure and organization had been lost. At this point, Charlotte felt there were simply “too many cooks in the kitchen.” She separated from the group, pulled out her tablet, compared her later notes from her break under the tree, with the telemetry from James’ car and his input from the meeting.

Working at the engineer’s island, she compared with how his tyres wore on the track with all of the other data, layering each piece on top of the others in her mental processes. Babington came to ask her a question, and she simply held up her hand to silence him as she went through more of the information on the computers at the engineer island, a few more notes on her iPad, and within 7 more minutes, she turned to the mechanics still talking and waiting on final instructions. “OK gentlemen,” her voice channeling the authority she would often hear from her father when the group of 8 children got out of hand. Louder than usual, and certainly more on edge than they had heard it before, they stopped and listened. She walked toward the rear of the car, and started with the engine settings, and worked her way forward with each incremental change she wanted made to the car in the next 45 minutes to an hour. If James got on to the track a bit late, so be it. The car had to be as close to right as they could get it. She looked back at Michael, her eyes, direct and darker than usual. “Did you get all that?” Michael had been taking notes on his tablet as well once he had heard the tone of her voice. He looked at her, and simply nodded before walking over to the mechanics to make sure each item was addressed.

She looked at Babington on the other side of the island next to Sidney’s car and walked over to his own computer there. “May I?” She said as she looked at him. He had witnessed the last interactions and stood from his stool and motioned for her to sit in his place. The same process as before, but with needing fewer changes to his car, the routine did not take as long. When she rose from her seat to talk with Sidney’s mechanics, they were already silent and waiting, as was Babington with his own iPad. Just as before, she started at the back of the car, engine setting, brakes, camber of the wheels, ballast placement, checking the settings on his steering wheel to give him what control he needed with the brake bias and traction control, and again ending at the front wings. Here she paused, and crouched in front of the car, getting down low to inspect the angles of the fins with the endplates on the wings. Her eyes ran over the car, visualizing information from the wind-tunnel testing, sometimes closing her eyes to think, flipping through endless mental files in comparison with the car in front of her. Her eyes were now scanning the air-path over the car, turning her head this way and that, visualizing the turns on the track, the cross winds that came over Port Philip Bay. Then mentally measuring those disruptions as the wind regained speed as it moved over the lake and then to the back side of the track. All the way over the car, and finally she was back again at the rear wing. She came back to the front, and added two slight adjustments measured in millimeters to the front wing fins, as her final instruction.

She looked over at Babington, and before she could ask, he responded, “Got it.” He was often a kind and smiling man, and he did give her something of a pained grin before turning back to the mechanic crew to get started. There was definitely something different in his smile this time. A sense of being somewhat intimidated, but it was more a sense of awe at the complexity with which her mind worked. He had seen her focused, and excited with developing the car. He had never seen her so… assured and complete in her instructions. Evidently Michael had from his reaction, but this was not something George had ever witnessed before in F1, or anywhere else for that matter. He looked back at the crew who were also a little stunned. “Well, go to it, gentlemen! What are we waiting for?” He then recapped the list in each section of the car as they worked on it.

Crowe had been hanging out in the back of the garage. He wasn’t driving this weekend, but if they needed their reserve driver suddenly, Australia was too far to simply “hop on a flight.” He attended most of the races anyway, but the really far ones required that he be there. He loved the atmosphere and the traveling, and certainly appreciated being under a lot less pressure than his cohorts. He had quietly witnessed the exchanges, and noted the adjustments she was making. Crowe hadn’t always been a reserve test driver, and now he was kind of wishing he had put up a bigger fight for the second racing seat. Watching the change in Charlotte had been exhilarating, from a professional stand point. Now, if it all worked, that was another matter, but only a good run on the track would answer those questions. He heard Sidney call his name behind him after some time watching the technicians work on the cars.

“Well, you really missed it Sid,” Robert said with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

“Missed what, Robbie?” He smiled at his friend who hated that nickname. Something he’d had to endure from his grand-mama.

Crowe rolled his eyes. “Nothing really, only that your girlfriend is _bloody frightening_ , mate.” It was his turn to laugh at Sidney’s concerned eyebrows and confused expression. “Either that, or she’s a human super-computer… Actually, I would say all of the possible explanations still fall under ‘bloody frightening,’ though.” He chuckled again thinking back at what he had witnessed. He said, “Ask Babers about it. Oh wait! You may have to go find him. I think he might have shite his pants!” At this he slapped Sidney’s back as his laughter grew. “I promise, it was all _very_ entertaining to watch.”

Sidney rolled his eyes and shook his head at his friend, even if he knew that Crowe was rather adept at noticing things. He walked over to his car, and it didn’t take long for Babington to find Sidney, himself. Crowe stepped closer so that he could hear their conversation.

Babers had his tablet in his hand, and was going through the list to have the mechanics double and triple check the changes before he checked them off. His forehead was sweating, which was unusual, and he seemed to be blinking more, and his voice was louder than typical as well. Sidney was standing in his half-zipped suit, crossed his arms over his fireproof under-layer shirt, and waited until George was finished talking. “Babers, what is all this?” he finally asked.

George exhaled, “Charlotte, wanted some changes made,” and then looked around to see if she or anyone else was nearby. He looked nervous. “She umm… well, she umm went through the data for James’ car, which needed a lot more work than yours, thankfully we don’t have as much to do. And well, then she did the same for yours.”

Sidney was confused. “That’s her _job_ , Babers, we were all in the same meeting and went over everything together.”

George tilted his chin out to the side, and made something of a grimaced face. “No, well… this was more than that.” He hesitated, trying to find a way to explain what he had witnessed, but Crowe was standing behind them now and was still chuckling and clearly enjoying himself at George’s expense. “I take it that you witnessed all of it, Crowe.” He said sternly.

“I saw a young woman make you cower like _you_ were a little girl, _Georgie_.” Crowe still unable to stop his laughter once he replayed in his mind the reactions that Babers had not been able to conceal throughout the ordeal. “It really was magnificent, Sidney, brilliant. Although, if you had seen it, you would probably be in the same state as Babers, here.” He was laughing outright now as he thought on it. His imagination was getting the better of him now, or perhaps it was the jet-lag. Sidney looked back at Babers, clearly annoyed at this point.

A deep breath later, Babington did his best to explain. “They were starting with the other car, seems it needed much more done to it. Anyway, there was some discussion and disagreement about what to do, and Charlotte just…” He hesitated. “I don’t know what she was thinking, but it appeared that she was going through… everything… In her head. Checking specs on the computer, and then some notes on her tablet, it was… a combination of impressive and incredibly humbling at the same time,” he said. “When she was finished, Michael suddenly paid attention to her like she was some kind of military commander, and all the mechanics over there fell right in line behind him.” He shook his head remembering the surprise of it.

Crowe interrupted. “But, wait, wait, tell him what she did with you!” And Crowe was wiping tears from his cheeks as Babers retold what had happened, obviously in need of his regular time zone.

Babington rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Well, once I had seen what had happened,” he said gesturing to the other side of the garage, “I made way and gave her my seat at the island, and she proceeded to do the same thing with your car.” He looked behind himself and lowered his voice. “She had notes, on the tablet, ones she had written, and it didn’t look like any maths I’ve ever studied. It was like Sanskrit, or Cyrillic, maybe? Like her own algorithm or something, so naturally, I took notes like Michael did… but then.” Crowe nodded to him to continue. “It was like she… I don’t know how to explain it…” He ran his hand through his hair now damp with sweat.

Crowe couldn’t take it anymore. “She ‘wind-tunneled’ your car, Sidney. _In her head_. Babers here looked like he was back in primary school, didn’t you?” He laughed again at his friend, and was trying to catch his breath. “Like someone was teaching him the birds and the bees for the first time.” George rolled his eyes. “OR, like he was seeing his first naked woman! He was a rabbit in the headlights, a virgin in a whorehouse, like he’d walked in on his parents having _very_ naughty sex…”

“OK Crowe!! Enough already!” Babers’ loud and sudden outburst had brought the attention of the entire garage, from both sides, to look directly at him, and his face was red with frustration.

The three of them looked at the shocked crew. “Ah! **Yes**! You see that, Sidney? He looked _just_ like _that_ ,” as he gestured to the stunned-silent group of wide-eyed garage technicians and mechanics, before he started laughing loudly again. “Really, it was beautiful to behold!” He added laughing again. Then he leaned closer to Sidney once the work restarted on the cars and the attention was no longer on the three friends. His eyes twinkled wickedly before he spoke. “Tell me Sid, does she do that with you too?”

That finally earned him, and his neck, a rough hold from Sidney’s arm as he pulled him over and into a headlock under his armpit. He had moved swiftly, and spoke calmly. “Are you _quite_ finished, _Robbie_?”

He attempted to nod, but was unable to, and merely gasped out a “yes,” before Sidney released him and he came up for air, looking even more red than Babers had been earlier. He flicked his head to throw the curls that had flopped in front of his eyes up and back out of his face, cleared his throat, his blue eyes were reddened and looked worse for wear. He took a couple deep breaths as he adjusted the collar on his team polo shirt. Once he regained his composure, he looked over at Sidney who had been glaring at him. “Point taken,” he simply responded, as he tilted his head right then left until he heard a small ‘pop’ in his neck.

“You _are_ aware, Crowe, that some of us have to _work_ here? Not that you don’t work, but you’re not really doing it right now, yes?” Sidney asked sternly. Crowe nodded, then mentioned something about getting a bottle of water before he walked out of the back of the garage to lick his wounds elsewhere. Babers had been talking to the mechanics about the specifics of the list, and then turned back to Sidney.

“You always were the _only_ one who could keep him in line,” he said quietly.

“Well, someone has to. He does tend to take certain things, just one step too far.” He added with a small grin. “Maybe one day when he grows up, he’ll finally make the adjustment.” Sidney winked at his friend, as they shared a laugh at their friend’s expense this time, instead of their own.

Charlotte had been right about the time. They were late getting back onto the track for the 4 o’clock practice session, but it had also given them time to see how the other teams were doing with the sets of tyres they had chosen. It looked like the medium and soft compounds were doing best with the now cooler temperatures. So that’s what they tested, a different one on each of the cars. It all went better than they had even expected, and regardless of the pedigrees and previous championships of the other cars on the track, Parker Racing ended up with the second and third fastest times for the session. The crew was ecstatic watching in the garage, and there was a lot of pats on the backs, fist pumps in the air, and jubilant cheering for the hard work they had put in to the cars. The drivers were very pleased as well, especially for the first race weekend for the year. The track was starting to make more sense to James, and he had been much more comfortable in the car with the changes.

The only person not jubilant at the results, was Charlotte, of course. As happy as she had been about splitting the two Mercedes cars, at first and fourth fastest. And as much as she respected their top driver, Lewis, she wanted the one and two spots together for her team. She stayed at the pit wall with all the noise coming from the garage, and kept her headphones on. If anyone was trying to get her attention, she would not have seen it. They were missing something, somewhere. But in her head, it was _SHE_ who was missing something somewhere, and she was determined to find it. Sidney had been so close, hundredths of seconds away from first, coming in second today on the track times, but she also knew that Mercedes was probably also holding back. They weren’t showing their full hand with another practice session to go in the morning before qualifying tomorrow. She would not rest until she had personally gone over everything.

It was Michael who finally managed to get her attention and to at least do some of her work in the control center. Diana had handed her some of her "rocket fuel" and a handful of vitamins and supplements with the instruction to "eat something, fruit would be best." It was already getting dark, and she needed to at least get up and stretch her legs. Plus, she could probably get more help by delegating some of the work she was doing. Knowing her like Michael did though, she would not have trusted anyone else to go through the information as thoroughly as she would. Maybe Michael himself, or Arthur, but mostly because they were the most familiar with her standards of operations. Once he had her settled in her office, he asked for a task to help her. Arthur had joined them after observing some of the maintenance work on the cars before they closed off the garage for the night. Two more hours of work, and Arthur insisted they call it a day.

“I need you fresh in the morning Charlotte. Besides, sometimes these things make themselves known once you get out of the office, eat a meal, take a shower, get some sleep. Take a break. We will plan to get here very early before the practice session. I promise.” His brown eyes smiled at her, forcing her to look up from the screen of her laptop, plus the three other screens that were showing more of the data taken from the practice sessions. It could still have been a part of the design that was slowing them, and not something they would be able to fix here in Melbourne, but she wanted to figure it out.

Charlotte finally nodded. “You’re right Arthur. If I haven’t found it yet today, odds are good that I won’t,” she said resignedly. She shut down the PCs she had been using, set for herself some reminders of what she wanted to check in the morning, before she packed up her own equipment in her bag to take back to the hotel. It was 8 o’clock when they finally left, she said good night to Arthur and Michael in the lobby as they went to eat dinner together, before heading up on the elevator, and opening the door to the suite. Sidney said he was here and waiting for her, and she hoped he wasn’t annoyed with how long they had been working.

The table had been set for dinner with candles, with place settings right next to each other at the first two chairs. Resting on the table at the furthest table setting was a vase of long stem red roses. Just from looking at them, it was definitely more than a dozen, probably two or more. She had never seen such beautiful flowers, and never so many, and certainly not any before that had been meant for her. She walked over, and could smell their perfumed air before she reached them. Something between rose water and raspberries, and very, very sweet. She had noticed more candles on the mantel above the fireplace, and the fireplace was lit. Only some of the can-lights dotted along the edge of the ceiling had been turned on their dimmest setting. But the roses, had caught her attention. Such long stems, thorns removed, and the velvet soft petals calmed her as she inhaled the scent that reminded her of the garden back home in Willingden.

“Hello, Darling.” Sidney had come out from his room when he heard her enter. She was smiling while she was standing by the flowers. She watched him as he walked toward her, dressed in a black jumper and black jeans, with dark brown Italian driving loafers on.

“Sidney! You did all of this?!” She was genuinely surprised.

“For you, of course I did.” He tilted his head as he looked at her, she was cupping several of the roses together between her hands and buried her nose in them again to take in the scent. It was cleansing after the scents of the track, the headphones on half the day, and the buzz of the computers in the control center. She hadn’t realized how much the pressure of the environment had affected her until she inhaled the roses as deeply as she could.

Her voice was soft. “They’re lovely, Sidney. So beautiful, I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen such gorgeous flowers.” She felt her stress continue to melt as she admired them. “They’re perfect,” she whispered.

“Well, I thought I would try to find some flowers that were _almost_ as beautiful as you are. This was the best I could find,” he finished his compliment with his sideways smile as he looked at her, taking in the smile on her face.

Then she laughed lightly at him. “Oh Sidney, you are too much. These are **gorgeous** , I’m sure I could never compete with them.” She smiled. “But at least I get to enjoy them. You are so darling to get them, thank you!” Her eyes were shining with the candlelight. He walked closer to her, and finally put one of his arms around her waist. “I hesitate to ask what inspired you?”

He looked down at her, his eyes more serious now. “You inspire me Charlotte, and those flowers could _never_ compete with you.” He was honest and his voice was low. “You inspire me like no one else ever has.” She reached her arms around his waist, and drew her palms up his back to pull him down toward her.

“You spoil me,” she whispered as their lips lightly touched.

“You’ve been my girlfriend for an entire week now, and I had yet to buy you flowers,” he said with a wink. “It was careless of me,” he smiled.

“A week. That’s right! I almost forgot which day it was.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry, my Dearest. I should have gotten you something. Even if it was something small for one week.” She smiled as she tilted her head. She did not anticipate his response would be laughter.

“Darling! You’ve given me the best car I’ve ever driven in Formula 1! That last session today was unlike any other I have _ever_ had! No amount of flowers, or anything else can compare with that.” He leaned forward and kissed her longer this time.

When their lips finally parted, she reminded him, “It’s not like I can build that car by myself you know.”

Sidney nodded. “True, but according to Crowe, you are quote ‘ _bloody brilliant_ ,’ end quote. And he is not one to give compliments out regularly.” He corrected himself next, “well, at least when it comes to cars.” And he gave her his biggest white smile.

“Really? Robert said that?” She asked, her brow quizzical.

His deep voice answered, “Yeees. He did. And since he knows I would _kill_ him, if the compliment were for any other reason, I can only assume that he _meant_ it. As most compliments he gives are to lure women into his bed, or to work his way into theirs,” he said with a laugh and a wink. In fact, he was _sure_ that he meant it, because he had said it as part of his apology after the head-lock incident, and he had also mentioned hoping to get in to one of the cars soon to drive it himself.

Charlotte let her eyes relax and smiled as she contemplated what Crowe had said. She had known since she met him that he was a straight shooter, and not one to give credit where it wasn’t due. “That was nice of him to say,” she softly added.

“You can’t be disappointed with today?” He noticed that she was not as happy with the results as everyone else had been in the garage, but he wasn’t sure what she had been working on and what she was analyzing when she stayed to work late. The three straight lines that formed between his brow when concerned, had appeared.

“No, not disappointed,” her voice wandered off. “Just, I know that I’m missing something. I’m sure I would still _be_ there if Arthur hadn’t told me to turn everything off for the night.” She mumbled.

He pulled her in closer against his black jumper as her head turned to the side to rest on him. Rising and falling with each of his deep breaths. “My Darling. This was our first day on track, of what will be a very long racing season. I’m sure with everything you did in school, that not everything worked the first time you tried it. The changes you have made with this car in the short weeks that you have been working on it, are more than most teams can get done in _months_. I am _not_ exaggerating.” He pulled her back to find her eyes with his in the low flickering candlelight. “What you have already accomplished, how much you have taught the rest of the crew,” he saw her eyes roll up at that comment. “And _DO NOT_ deny it! You have brought new ideas, and new ways of doing things to every aspect of the team from the mechanics, to the strategists. I know because they have spoken about it.” He would not allow her to doubt herself. “Don’t even get me started on that _lead driver_ of yours. I hear he is simply besotted with you,” he tilted his head and grinned for effect to try and get her to smile.

He was rewarded with a small laugh and the smile he had hoped for. But then, she leaned her forehead against his chest. “I don’t know how I would be managing all of this without you.” She was worried she sounded desperate as soon as she said it. She had already worried that maybe she would scare him away when her moods got like this. She was and always had been a perfectionist. She did not enjoy dealing with failure, and not getting that first spot, that fastest lap today had felt like a failure to her. It had been a problem with relationships in the past, the pressures that she put on herself, and she did not know how Sidney would handle it.

Instead of pulling away though, Sidney only held her closer, and stroked her hair where it was pulled back into her pony tail. Smoothing any of the loose hairs that had escaped the tight hair elastic from wearing her headset most of the day. He moved to look down at her, his half smile and the crinkles in his eyes showing that she had not scared him away. “I cannot tell you how happy you make me, Charlotte. Car or no car,” he added. He moved one of the chairs away from the table, sat down and pulled her on to his lap, like she was telling Father Christmas what she wanted. Although, Sidney held her much closer, and spoke softly in her ear in a way that Saint Nicholas certainly would not. “My Darling, I … I have a hard time believing we have known each other for such a short while.” He looked to see if she was watching him as he spoke, and she was. Holding her gaze, he added “I feel like I have known you for so much longer than just weeks. Maybe it’s because we have been working together, or because you have seen me at my best and worst already,” which he added with a tilt of his head. “My worst, being at the moment I first _met_ you,” he said teasingly, and her shoulders shook with her small laugh. His voice became much softer. “My best, I hope, is when I am with you now, not like I was then.” Her hand came up to touch his cheek with her palm. Her eyes searching his face for anything that could look like he was annoyed, or was ready to run. Nothing showed other than his affection for her.

“Sidney,” but before she could say anymore, he pulled her in to kiss her softly, and then increasingly passionately as his hands roamed over her hip, waist, and her thighs, eventually up her shirt, until she was now facing him instead of sitting across his lap. He pulled her shirt off in one swift movement, breaking from her lips just long enough to remove it. The rattle of plates and flatware on the table when they bumped in to it, reminded him that she probably hadn’t eaten since lunch, and he reluctantly pulled away slowly.

Breathing heavily as he tried to steady himself, he said “You must be hungry,” and gently brushed her lips with his for just a moment.

She nodded as she exhaled and sighed. Partly because he was right, she was hungry. Partly because she did not want to stop what they had already started, and wanted desperately to stay warm and safe in his arms. And also, partly because she had felt an acceptance from him that even the other men who should have understood how she worked, how her mind worked, how dedicated to her research she was, how much she strove for the answers to all of her questions, how any one of them who _should_ have understood, didn’t and hadn’t understood. But Sidney did. A racing driver, who had only finished secondary school, had worked physically harder than most of the people on the planet, but who had never taken a University level Physics course. He understood how her mind worked more than any other man had. He understood that her mind and her feelings were connected to who she was in her soul, and after just a short amount of time of knowing her. She gripped her fingers on his shoulders and held him close. She processed all of it, and simply nodded again, finally letting her eyes move up from the Adam’s apple in his neck to look into his eyes. Noting the difference in how he looked at her now, as opposed to how he had looked at her that first time in the hallway at Parker’s. She smiled her small sweet grin. “Thank you, Sidney.”

“For what?” He asked softly.

“For being you,” she answered as her eyes looked in to his, showing him that her feelings could not be far behind where his were. They had been thrown into the pressure and the spotlight of their work, and as he had fallen asleep the other night wondering about their future, he saw now that she was already there in wanting to support him. If her work on the car had been anything to go by, he would say that she was willing to do anything to help him, including wearing herself out getting it done.

No one had ever said anything like that to him, accepting him for just himself, and suddenly he understood where all of his feelings and the changes in him had come from. He pulled back so she could see him better. “Charlotte… It is because of you... I am my best self, my truest self when I am with you. If ‘being’ me is what has earned your trust, you should know, that you are the reason it is there. You are the reason I have found it again.” He had lost it a long time ago. Maybe it had been 6 years ago when Reggie died, or 7 years ago when Eliza had left him, or all the way back to when his parents died. Perhaps it was a little bit each time, but it had still been lost.

Her hand caressed him at his hair line, lightly brushing back the short hair from his face. “But you are _still you_ , Sidney. You always had it,” she said very factually. “Whether I brought more of it out or _not_ , it is still _you_.”

He knew then that he was definitely falling in love with this woman. He hoped that everything they had just shared meant that she was too, but he knew with certainty, that saying that he loved her would be harder and harder to hide the more he felt it. That sooner rather than later, his heart would be exposed again in a way it hadn’t in a very long time. This time, he thought, ‘I can trust her. I know I can.’ He pulled her close again to kiss her with even more feeling than he had given her in the past, loosening his grip on his heart a little more.

Charlotte suddenly felt a new pressure was growing in her chest, that this emotional conversation had taken a giant leap forward for them somehow, and even a small watery tear fell from her right eye as her head fell back from the force of his lips on the velvet soft skin of her neck. An emotional release from somewhere she couldn’t control. She also felt like they had made the jump together. All she could utter was his name, softly, as her physical connection with him mirrored the emotional one within. “Sidney…”

“Yes, I know my Darling… Dinner…” as he kept his attentions on her neck and the soft flesh beneath her collarbones, but then slowed to a gentle stop.

She answered when he halted, her breaths almost stealing her words. “Dinner can wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This link will take you to the announcement from F1 this summer about their adoption of the new slogan, if you are interested in reading about it. 
> 
> https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-launches-we-race-as-one-initiative.3s2AhNDApNDzrCoQDc1RY8.html
> 
> If you want to see an onboard lap around the circuit at Albert Park, this is a good view at what the track looks like for the drivers. Plus, Australia's own Daniel Ricciardo "walks" you through the lap. The graphic on the lower left shows you the general KPH and gear changes throughout the lap.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujmwGDoarYg&feature=youtu.be


	36. Qualifying-Melbourne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is having a great New Year so far! Sorry this one took so long, it needed a lot of mental processing to get the perspectives I wanted to include. Plus, covering the necessary rules and format for F1 qualifying took some refining. Hope you enjoy, and thank you for reading, and for your patience.

Qualifying-Melbourne

The atmosphere at the track was pretty much what Charlotte had expected the following morning. The air was crisp and cool after a small rain shower a few hours earlier. It was still early, and the last practice session wasn’t until 2:00pm. They had the pit stop practice earlier at 11:30am, when all the teams would be working with their equipment, and have a short half hour to go through the logistics and test their pneumatic equipment thoroughly. Then, the qualifying session wouldn’t start until 5. A _very_ long day ahead, many kinks to work out, and even more nerves to manage. All of the garages were clearly on edge. The first competitive day on the track, the first day that the performances counted toward something. The qualifying events would tick down quickly once they started, and the practice session was just one hour long. It was a time for refining, not innovation, and Charlotte’s frustrations with the car were still percolating from the day before.

Sidney had been thoughtful and supportive, and delightfully distracting in his physical attentions. Just thinking of it made it impossible to contain her smile. No one had ever made her feel this way, feel so cared for, so desired, and she almost thought, “loved.” But she couldn’t think about that right now, it was too soon to expect anything like that. He was doting, supportive, and also impossible to deny when he wanted something, which was usually her she thought, now smiling even wider. It was like being the most important person in the room, whenever and wherever he was. His gaze was intoxicating, his presence next to her an inextricable pull, an immovable force. Everything about him, his humor, his affections, his touch, the way he undressed her with his dark stare even while in the pristine bright lights of the garage surrounded by the mechanics and engineers. She thought she might need to stay out of his line of sight before he went out on the track, if he had any trouble with getting too distracted.

It had been difficult for her to part ways with him this morning, but he had his routines for qualifying and race days. Charlotte knew that their relationship had already disrupted enough for the both of them. Changing his race weekend routines could end up being disastrous to his work, as well as their newly found understanding. But she could not deny her own feelings for him were growing to the point of becoming quite… intense. She had not expected any of this to happen.

Avoiding a relationship was what she had been stoically doing since her return from Boston, without much thought on it. Making time for what a relationship entailed, was not how she had planned to use her time now that she had finally completed her academic goals. Her career goals since August, were all that she had been focused on, until she ran into one Mr. Sidney Parker. She had allowed herself to fall too fast once before, trusting the wrong person on many fronts. She felt like she could trust Sidney, that he was someone who would be truthful with her, even if it wasn’t something she wanted to hear. Not unlike last night. Even she had her limits, especially when time was running out, it was just something that she did _not_ enjoy. It was a weakness in her mind, a short-coming, a failing, a reason for others to criticize as they had in the past. And some people were quite eager to find a fault in her, if given a chance.

She stood in the pit lane, walking back and forth between the garages overseeing the final touches on the cars, and the last engine settings she wanted to try for the one hour she… no, **_they_** had left to try during practice today. Her life had been one experience of proving herself after another. Constantly having to defend wherever she was and then where she wanted to go, what decisions she made and why. It took months, and even years to convince people of what she already knew she could do. Sometimes, that acceptance never materialized, and she had to find a way in her young mind to be OK with that, which she usually wasn’t. The validation was something she wanted, and something she wanted to earn. At least with racing cars, if the drivers are good enough with their times on the track, the numbers were impossible to dismiss. Perhaps that is why she enjoyed it so much, and was equally annoyed and frustrated when being _so close_ to being the best and the fastest was just out of her reach. Numbers never lied.

Today, the focus had to be on the work. The strategists had analyzed how they would use their tyres, since the tyre the drivers qualify on with their cars were the exact set of tyres they had to start on for the race. Once a car and driver finished qualifying, no other changes could be made. The Scrutineers that enforced the construction rules, and the Race Stewards made sure of that. This made the planning and strategies, plus back up plans and strategies, so critical to have down before the day even started. Sometimes they got it right, and sometimes they got it wrong. With all the variables and set-up options, even with all of the data and expertise in analysis, it was still far too easy to get something _very_ wrong.

The pit stop practice was coming up before lunch. Charlotte had been working with the mechanics on the pit crew in between their work on the cars. Discussing what they had already been working on back in Sanditon, and seeing what concerns they might have. It seemed that they had done as much as they could until that point. The tyres were the next point of concern. The soft tyres grip fast, but wear down quickly. The harder the tyres got, the longer they lasted, but it could also mean up to 1 second slower per lap, and in a race that was 58 laps long, that added up to a lot of seconds. With the rule-required tyre change, the number of laps, and having to use at least two _different_ compounds of tyres, it made for hundreds of variations between the three tyre types. What you started on, what you hoped to finish on, and what unforeseen events on the track could up-end the entire plan in a millisecond. 

The pit practice went well, and Arthur made sure that James was present for the quick half-hour review. Since the car could only be rolled into place, instead of driven for this practice session, the team could reset quickly and go through the routine over and over. Arthur was able to walk him through all of it multiple times, and had given him points to watch, how to approach the pit lane stop in front of their garage to help prevent possible injury for the pit crew. Arthur was right to be concerned not only for the time that could result from a bad stop, but the responsibility of the driver to dive in and stop quickly, into a small painted box under the pneumatic overhead without hitting or bumping into the 11 crew members. All of them crouched or leaning at attention, and at the ready for the tyre change. With the time that they had, James was as ready as he could be, which wasn’t as much as Arthur had wanted, but it would have to do.

The strategists had worked with all the head engineers, and had preferred strategies and backups planned down to each of the 3 qualifying sessions for each driver, but also paying attention to what the other teams were doing. Qualifying is chosen in a sudden-death format. Three sessions: Q1- 18 minutes long with all 20 cars, only the top 15 quickest times moving on to… Q2- 15 minutes for 15 cars to get the top 10 quickest times. This leads to Q3, the final 10 cars competing for the top 10 starting spots on the grid, with just 12 minutes on track to achieve the best out of their cars, and their team. Once the official timer hit all zeros, and the cars passed the start/finish line, their last laps were on the clock. The checkered flag waved over the cars as they passed, and that was it. Wherever they landed on that list was where they would start the following day.

Needless to say, the further back on the starting grid they were, the more dangerous the start was going in to the first corners, and really the first couple of laps. The cars would be bunched together, and sometimes it looked a lot like bumper cars at a fun park instead of the most elite version of motor racing on Earth. The damage to the cars from those incidents were often race-ending for the complex and also fragile machinery. The shards of carbon fiber often left on the track punctured tyres with regularity, and larger pieces could easily send a rival spinning into a wall, flipping over. In some situations, a car being hit at just the right angle to be lifted up enough to go flying over the top of a competitor’s car. The latest safety regulations had been adopted because of a few very close calls in recent years. The higher up you were on the grid, the higher your chances were of being able to just finish a race by avoiding the traffic behind you. The variables were in the millions, and different strategies were compiled for different situations. The most basic strategies were based on weather, temperature, tyre wear, track position, and what ‘the other guy’ appeared to be planning as well. The later strategies were based on the use of a safety car after a possible accident, trying to predict when that might happen, and who might be involved. All of it based in statistics and previous performances on track.

The crowds were there early for practice and only grew as the day got later, the sunny but cool afternoon kept the crowds coming, tens of thousands of them. The year before, race day attendance was over 320,000 people. Charlotte allowed herself to look as far as she could see, taking in the different grandstands, the open general admissions areas had already been staked out by fans for the best prime viewing areas. The jumbo screens all over the track showed one area after another teeming with spectators, and pit lane activity as the teams worked at whatever pace was required for their cars. Two of the drivers crashed near the end of the practice session, cutting the short hour even shorter to work on cleaning the track of oil and debris. Their teams had extensive work to do to try and be ready for qualifying. One team knew that the work would put them starting from the pit lane, since they would not be able to get a single lap time during qualifying, with the car in the condition it was in. The other team was working like a swarm of ants around the injured car, trying to get it rehabilitated on time. The driver, anxiously watching when he checked in, and apologizing to the mechanics until his Team Principal sent him off to calm down and focus, in his impeccable Italian.

The Parker Racing drivers had both come out of the practice session unscathed. James had done so with some luck on his side. The two cars that had crashed, had done so right in front of him, and he had just enough time, and enough open track to quickly divert his car around them. The many hours of reflex training paying off in less than 2 seconds on the track. From the radio transmission with Michael, he had been angry with the mistakes the drivers had made, but his voice had also been shaking from the adrenaline, and perhaps a little recognition of what he had gotten himself into this year. Charlotte had been answering texts from her father all morning until she told him she had to sign off and get to work. A quick apology text arrived next from her Mama. A note saying that she had taken away Papa Heywood’s phone and iPad until after qualifying was over, followed by a string of four-leaf-clover, blowing kisses, red hearts and “fingers crossed” emojis. It had the additional benefit of giving Charlotte a wide smile and a giggle, as well as knowing that she would finally be able to block out the tension coming from all the way in Willingden.

Michael had been at James’ garage as soon as they dove back into the pits, checking for any other cars arriving in the pit lane before he crossed the lane. His father had also been texting him, having snuck his phone back from his wife when she went to help make breakfast for the little Heywoods for when they finally woke up. Until the accident, he had been peppering Michael’s messages with suggestions and questions, all of which he expected Michael to have answers for once the session had finished. A large poof of his breath escaped his mouth, looking at his father’s long list of short text messages, finally shaking his head and turning off his notifications until he and James had time to talk and go over the telemetry of the practice session. He also knew that it had been 4 o’clock in the morning in Willingden, when the practice session had started, so he was willing to forgive some of the interruptions by chalking them up to his father being tired.

James pulled himself up and out of his car by the titanium reinforced halo device all of the cars were now fitted with. Carefully standing on his seat, he stretched one leg out onto the glossy garage floor, quickly followed by the other. The tight cockpit was essential for keeping the drivers safe, but their athleticism was required to help them get in and out of it. The helmet was then removed, along with the balaclava and radio earpieces. He removed his damp sandy blonde curls from his face with his left hand. Looking up, he saw the forced grin on Michael’s face. His own expression was one of confusion, the car was in one piece, as well as himself. Plus, the new engine setting was obviously giving more push to the car. He thought things had actually gone _rather_ well. He was looking forward to qualifying. Whatever happened out there, he had faith in himself, he had faith in the car he had been driving, and things had only gotten better during the practice sessions.

“What’s wrong?” Michael had finally gotten close enough to hear James’ question over the sound of the wheel guns removing the tyres from his car now that it was set up on the dollies.

“Wrong?” Michael looked at him and James gave him a knowing stare. “Oh, you know, just Mr. Heywood checking in from Heywood Racing to make sure I’m doing my job to the best of my abilities,” he answered with a slight tinge of sarcasm. He added a tired grin at the end of it. “Can’t even imagine what he’s sending Charlotte.” He added. “Honestly, I’m too scared to ask, but Dad doesn’t always understand what she is working on, so she might get a pass. Myself however,” he pointed his phone to his chest, “I do not have the luxury of a job that is partly incomprehensible to my father.” At that, stab at some humor he allowed himself a genuine smile to relieve some of the tension.

Luckily, James got the joke and laughed a little. “Now Michael, when I get out of the car, you’re supposed to come over and _reassure me. Not_ the other way around.” He added a hand on Michael’s shoulder before a fake jab to his stomach. James was lit with excitement, that last 42 minutes on the track had felt really good! Plus the adrenaline from avoiding the crash in front of him, was still coursing through his blood.

That made Michael laugh in relief that it hadn’t been a real punch, and the mechanics working on James’ car laughed at how he had flinched. Everyone knew that James was a good “kid.” Being a year and a half younger than Charlotte had made him the youngest person on the Parker payroll. “Very funny, James.” Michael’s droll delivery brought the mood back to business. “Things looked good, lets get you hydrated and back to the meeting before qualifying.” William and John along with two more nearby engineers, followed them out to the control center for the quick recap meeting. They would go over the information and telemetry they gathered, and then those who were working on race strategy would make decisions about how to manage qualifying. Sidney and Babington arrived at the same time with Arthur, Charlotte, Fred Robinson, and a few more of the engineers.

Fred Robinson was the Sporting Director for Parker Racing. It was his job to communicate all track announcements, rules, and changes to the team directly when at the track. His input and understanding of their race strategies could make or break a race for them. He was also responsible for relaying the call for pit stops to the pit crew mechanics so that they would be ready for the right driver, and with the right tyres in the pit lane during a race. He kept track of any and all changes with the race, like track limit changes, and relayed all information to the team in real time. Announcing any “yellow flags.” Or, a requirement for all drivers to exercise “caution and no passing.” Yellow Flags require a slower speed limit, depending on the situation. Sometimes it was for the whole track when the safety car was sent out, and sometimes it was where there had been an accident, or some other mishap somewhere. The rules were also enforced in small locations, like turns or run-off areas on the track. His communication on where any yellow flags would be enforced by the Race Director, and making sure the Race Engineers could tell the drivers immediately, was critical. “Red Flags” meant a pause to the race, the same slow speed limits and no passing rule was enforced as the cars returned to the pit lane and garages to wait out whatever they had to wait on. Sometimes it was a torrential downpour that the Racing Director deemed would be too dangerous for the cars to continue, or the medical helicopter couldn’t take off or fly due to the visibility. Sometimes it was an accident that was so bad that the race had to stop for removal of a car or debris, and sometimes it was needed to repair a barrier wall to the safety specifications before a race could restart after an accident. A “Black Flag” signaled the end of a race due to something other than the actual finish of a race. That was rarest of all, and didn’t happen very often. The rules were all there for a reason, and most of those reasons had to do with many dead drivers and sometimes spectators in the decades before safety became a more paramount concern.

Fred’s role on the team was vital. Any violations of rules came with penalties depending on the seriousness of the infraction. Something simple, like passing a competitor while all four wheels were off the track came with losing that place and giving it back. If it was blatant, happened more than once, or dangerous it also came with time penalties. Usually, 5 seconds because the drivers mostly knew better, but sometimes 10 seconds or even more. Violations by the team could also affect the driver’s standing at the end of a race, even if it wasn’t the driver who made the mistake. Fred being able to communicate well with the team, as well as with the Racing Director and Racing Stewards who made the judgements on these infractions during the race, could mean preventing the loss of finishing placements at the end, large fines, or points being taken off a driver’s Super-License. Enough of those could lead to a race suspension for that driver.

They were finally assembled in the meeting room in the control center. Arthur naturally took the lead in the meeting. 4 different strategies were laid out for each driver, each extra one to deal with a less than desirable outcome than the first. So much depended on the track staying dry, and the clouds had started to appear on the radar, not only for that evening but also possibly for tomorrow as well. The drivers explained what had worked in the last practice session. Both agreed with the new engine setting, as long as it also meant fuel consumption would be close to the same.

Charlotte sat listening as she reviewed the data from the short practice session. The engine adjustment had been the only thing that she thought might help, after all of her deliberations since yesterday. No one was in the mood to argue with her that morning when she requested the change of the engine mechanics. Arthur, George and Michael had shot each other looks when she told them. Really, it was Babington and Arthur who looked to Michael to see how he would react. “Of course, makes total sense Lottie,” he had answered quickly when she brought the changes up to them. Once those words had been spoken, the veteran crew on the Parker team knew what their answers should be as well.

Sidney was trying to concentrate in the meeting, looking at the screen in front of him with the telemetry taken from his car during his laps that afternoon. He could see where the engine change would require him to make adjustments to his brake bias in most of the corners. He took mental notes on how he could shave maybe a few tenths of a second from his fast lap times in qualifying that evening, possibly more. Tyres were discussed. The cooler temperatures tonight and possibly tomorrow meant that they wanted to end with soft tyres if they made it all the way to Q2 and Q3. They would warm up faster the next day for the start of the race, then hopefully they would be able to make one stop each to the medium tyres. Strategy “A”, and best-case scenario. The meeting could only do so much once those choices were made official.

Sidney glanced at Charlotte and gave her a quick wink with a white smile. He knew that she would not want to interrupt his focus for the day, and she had her own work to do with checking the cars. He dared to walk up to her as he passed by her in the tight meeting room, and squeezed her elbow and brushing more closely than he really had to. Leaning down, he said “Don’t forget to eat something. I know how you tend to forget to do that.” He added with a grin. “Besides, if I don’t have to worry about you, I’ll be able to focus better.” His eyes twinkled for a moment before he pulled himself back together in the crowded room.

“Yes sir,” she answered with an eyeroll. Then finally graced him with a smile that highlighted her three prominent dimples.

“Walk with me a minute,” he said as he tipped his head toward the door.

Once they were in the hallway, he reached for her hand even though they were not alone. He pulled her to the quiet dead-end of the short corridor, away from the entrance to the control center. Her office was off the meeting room, so going there would have been pointless. At least this was a little more private, and fewer people would be around. He turned her toward him and pulled her closer. “Hey, I know you’re nervous, we all are. It’s normal, and it’ll be like this every race.” He spoke softly to her as his eyes never left hers.

She nodded, “I know. Or at least I expected it. It’s just different now that we’re actually here.” She turned her head to look back up the hallway, and bit her lower lip. Groups of white team shirts paired with the black pants of their uniforms were still conversing in the hallway. She heard some laughter that sounded like Arthur, and it allowed her to take a deeper breath and relax a little. If Arthur had found something to laugh about at this time, things couldn’t be that bad.

“This is the best performance I’ve experienced with the car. _Ever_ , Charlotte.” He gently turned her face toward him, pinching his thumb in the divot in her chin to hold her eyes. “The _best car_ I have had in at least 3 years, Charlotte.” His eyes moved between both of her eyes trying to will some of his confidence in her work back to her, so that she could understand the differences she had already made for them. “You know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” His gaze intensified.

She nodded again, her dark lashes blinking and highlighting her wide worried eyes. “Yes, Sidney. I know you wouldn’t say it if you didn’t mean it.” She had always been something of a dichotomy. Confident in her unique abilities, but keenly aware that she was still human and could also make mistakes. When those two things clashed, it made for a very nervous Charlotte.

He gave her a sweet sideways grin. His eyes softened, and the charming weathered crinkles from years spent in the outdoors, appeared in the far corners of his eyes. “You’ve done everything you can. Now, it’s up to the rest of us. Yes?”

“Yes,” she sighed and nodded, steeling herself for the evening ahead. “Now, I shouldn’t keep you any longer. You have your conditioning to do, and Diana is lurking just outside this hallway.” She had seen a glimpse of Diana through the glass doors. She finally gave him a small smile. She tried to step back but Sidney pulled her into a hug. He knew that she was tough, but he had been privy to her most vulnerable side, where others hadn’t. He gently rubbed her back before letting her go.

“I’ll see you after, ok?” He tilted his head, and she again nodded before responding, “yes.”

“Good,” He added. “I believe I need a date for dinner later.” He winked as he gently squeezed her arms as he moved away.

“I should probably check with my boyfriend. He may already have plans.” She teased, and the twinkle came back to her eyes.

He broke into a wider smile before turning very serious again. “Boyfriend?” He moved closer to her again, his right hand still on her left arm. He dipped his head to her ear on that side. “What a _very_ lucky man.” He whispered before kissing her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine.

She took a breath from the shock, and looked up at him as he had removed his hand and stepped back. “I would say that we are both very lucky,” her eyes turned dreamier as she looked at him. She shook herself out of it and remembered where they were and what still lay ahead. “Now, Mr. Parker. I believe it is time to return to work.” She said very matter of fact.

“Yes, of course.” He returned the formality. “Besides, I believe I learned early on, _not_ to argue with you in a hallway. I would most _certainly_ lose!” He winked as he also let out a small laugh, thinking of the day they met.

“Quite!” She raised her chin seriously to look up at him, before her small smile returned.

“After you, Dr. Heywood.” He extended his arm to allow her to walk past.

“Thank you, Mr. Parker,” she answered as she stepped and started to walk in front of him.

“Oh, thank _you_ , Dr. Heywood!” He leaned to catch her ear, whispering one last time. “From where I’m walking, the _view_ is spectacular.” She turned on her heel to admonish him for saying that at work, but the look of innocence mixed with his wicked intentions on his face, caused all of her defenses to fall and she simply laughed at his playfulness instead.

Approximately 16,920 kilometres away, in the cozy family lounge of the Heywood Tudor farm house, Caroline Heywood had once again taken away her husband’s phone. He was already settled in his leather chair that had been placed for prime viewing of the telly during his convalescence. “Joseph Heywood! If you haven’t taught those two what they need to know, then it’s already too late! Besides, **F1** is _hardly_ the UK Karting Series!” She had kept her patience with him long enough. His illness had given him more free passes as of late, he was starting to abuse that privilege and he knew it. “Whatever they need to know, they have already learned at school or _will_ learn from trial and error on the job. There is no way that you can change that no matter how many messages you send them.” Her anger was equally obvious from the way she held her mouth in a determined pinch. She looked down and the phone and the list of messages. Shaking her head, she noticed that their devoted eldest child had done his best to respond. Looking at the long string of messages he sent to Charlotte, she noticed that the text bubbles had turned from blue to green. A sure sign that the messages had not been received, most likely because Charlotte had turned off her phone to ignore him. She grinned that at least _one_ of them knew when to push back a little.

“Oh, Papa, turn it up!” Alison was just waking up and cranky. It was almost 6:30 am, and she was at her _end_ with both of them bickering from their nerves the better part of the day before. If the telly were louder, she might be able to drown out the sound of their voices. She walked in and was soon seated with her feet tucked under her. She was wrapped in her flannel robe and leaning into a corner of the long sofa that had been reupholstered more times than they could count, and holding a steaming cup of tea cradled between both her palms to help warm her up. It had rained most of the night. Lovely English Spring weather, she had thought as she remembered the sunshine that had been beaming in Melbourne on the telly the day before. The courtyard of the old house now had puddles where the pea gravel needed to be leveled out again.

Anna was off, as it was Sunday, and it meant that someone else had started the fire in the large hearth at one end of the room. The “who” would have taken care of it, as her mother managed her father while she also made breakfast, was answered almost immediately. Timothy walked in to the family lounge from the kitchen with a tray of fruit kebabs. His attempt at a healthier option for the family to eat as they watched their eldest siblings working on the telly half a world away. He arrived early from his cottage to help, and now he sat at the other end of the long sofa, placing the tray on the low table in front of them. Papa Heywood pointed the remote at the large screen just as the logos were coming across with the introductory theme music as the sound got louder. Flashes of quick scenes of the cars, previous race events, and a snippet of each of the drivers for the year, scrolled through on the TV. It looked like the beginning of an action film more than a sporting event. There was a half hour of coverage with the announcers and former race drivers as they interviewed team leaders, and played back interviews they had previously recorded with the different drivers who were now getting ready for qualifying.

_“Welcome along to STAR TV’s coverage of the first qualifying day of the F1 season! It’s round one! You know Gerald, it feels like it has been a long 4 months waiting for this day to arrive.”_

The animated and exuberant fan-boy voices of the commentators and hosts of the sporting event, were now all that the assembled Heywoods were listening to.

_“Yes, Richard, it does feel much longer than that! But maybe that is because of all the **exciting** changes this year! New drivers, new designers, new team names and team partners all up and down the pit garage.”_

_“True, Gerald! Many changes, and not just with the new rules for the cars. Those changes we have already been expecting, and from what we have seen in the practice sessions, the changes certainly haven’t slowed the cars down this year!”_

_“No, they have been **very** quick! Let’s not forget the surprises we have seen so far, Richard! If you are just tuning in for the first time this weekend, you may not have heard of the challengers gunning for multiple world champs, Mercedes, for the quickest times on the grid! It has been an exciting couple of days to watch the changes that appear to be giving Parker Racing a distinct advantage!_

_“Yes! It has been exciting, but until we see them compete for those top grid spots today, we don’t really know anything. Mercedes is a tried-and-true competitor. Parker Racing still has the talented and quick Sidney Parker in their first car, but they also have rookie driver, James Stringer who seems to be taking the move from F3 rather well! In fact, he put in a stellar performance on the first day of practice. If you missed 3 rd free- practice this morning, you will know that two cars crashed right in front of the young driver. He did a hell of a job staying out of that scrap!”_

_“Terrible crash! The drivers both walked away and have been cleared by the doctors to race. But the cars, Richard! Whew! What a mess to clean up with just two hours of time to do it before qualifying! I certainly don’t envy their mechanics.”_

_“No Gerald, indeed! But that is racing, isn’t it? Never know what to expect even from the most experienced of drivers. One of them will have to start from the pit lane due to the extent of the damage. Luckily the Ferrari looks to be in working order again, and will participate in qualifying today! A relief I’m sure for the Italian Tifosi! Some of the most dedicated fans in all of motor racing.”_ Richard was now on the screen smiling at his cohort before the view changed to the cheering fans in the grandstands with a large patch of them dressed in their Ferrari-red shirts. Then a view from one of the helicopters flying over the track to give a bird’s eye view. The two of them continued to discuss the number of turns and the challenges of this track, plus the possible change in weather conditions that plagued Melbourne regularly. As the camera panned over the track from above, the weather was sunny with small patches of dense white clouds, but the sky was a beautiful almost periwinkle blue. The crowds had filled the grandstands, and hand-held cameramen were in the crowds getting more close-ups of the cheering fans, as their footage was being scrolled through from the different cameras and onto the screen.

Caroline had come into the room and placed a tray of scones on the table next to the fruit. If there was a day that she might need carbs, it was definitely today. She then placed the bowls of cream and strawberry preserves down next to it. Trying to distract herself, she looked to see that she still needed small plates and her own large mug of tea before turning to go back to the kitchen. She could still hear the announcers where she had stopped at the long, weathered table and placed her hands on it to steady herself. For all she had tried to settle down Joseph this entire week, she had also been trying to ignore her own worries. She reminded herself that at least it wasn’t her children driving on the track. It was just their professional positions at stake, not their lives. She didn’t know how the mothers of the drivers could deal with it. She thought of how they must be terrified each time they went out onto the track. She lifted her head with a deep breath, the grey streaks in her dark blonde hair had only multiplied over the past few months, and her preferred loose bun on top of her head was in place for the day. She took another deep breath and moved to get the plates, spoons, and her tea before going back. She could still hear the announcers from the volume of the telly.

_“Don’t move from your seats, the first qualifying day for the year is about to begin!”_

_“You know Gerald, this is often referred to the most **exciting** day of the race weekend!”_

_“Yes, Richard, I **do** know that!” _Then the two announcers laughed at the little joke. They sometimes sounded like they were speaking to viewers who had never really watched a race before, hoping that they were getting newer fans to watch the sport. Other times they would go into technical details about what they could see with the cars, and any changes they might have noted, or race-line analyses with the onboard transmissions from the drivers’ point of view.

“ _The cars with low fuel weight, tyres running with few laps on them at their maximum grip levels, it’s a speed lover’s dream to watch! These might be the fastest times we see all week, as long as the traffic on the track doesn’t slow down the fastest cars.”_

_“And with this being the first race of the season, we are still waiting to see exactly **who** has the fastest cars. But let’s not forget reliability. New engine changes this year means that everyone is dealing with new power units. You can be very fast, but you still have to make it to the end of the race in order to place in the points.”_

_“And only the top ten drivers will earn points this weekend. No matter where they end up on the grid after tonight, it’s still anyone’s race to win or lose tomorrow.”_

Caroline took her seat on the plaid overstuffed chair that had always been hers in the family room. She made herself a scone topped with the clotted cream and strawberries, but took one of the fruit kebabs as well to appease Timothy. She set the plate on the small round table next to her chair. It was the chair she nursed her children in as infants. It was the chair that she watched her little ones learn to crawl on a quilt laid over the ancient oriental wool rug. It was also the chair she sat in to watch her children open their presents at Christmas. Now, she was seated on the down-filled cushions as she watched the television, hoping for a glance of the two children who had done all of those things with her first.

Joseph almost spilled his own tea as he saw the Parker pit wall on the screen. Charlotte was sitting there turned around to see how the cars were preparing in the garage behind her, sunglasses on and hiding her eyes and her thoughts. The camera switched to the Parker garage, showing the drivers with their helmets on and their crews buzzing like a swarm around the cars. The Race Engineers were both leaning over their drivers, discussing strategy, giving reminders, and keeping them focused and calm before qualifying began. Michael looked confident and at ease as he spoke with James. His thick hair was effortlessly in place, and his brown eyes that resembled his sister’s, softened the angles of his jawline and broad shoulders.

“He looks good on TV,” Timothy observed. “Needs to do more work with the squat rack with all the sitting down he’s doing now. I better send him a new work out.” The last part he had said out loud but mostly to himself.

“James looks confident, doesn’t he?” Alison observed sleepily as she yawned.

“I know you missed watching the practice sessions, Alison, but James has done very well.” Joseph added as they ignored most of what the announcers were now saying. “I think he’s already proved that he should be in that car, which is what I have thought all along. Plus, he and Michael work well together. And Charlotte, of course.” He added very factually. It was his business sense, and his ability to sniff out talent that had led him to add him to the package with Parker Racing. Either that, or Parker Racing would have had to pay his contracted salary plus a penalty to replace him. It had been a good deal for all of them, he thought. At the very least, they would get one season in the big show that was F1. He was just happy to still be alive to see it, after the past few months.

His demeanor changed when the camera panned to show more of Sidney’s side of the garage. He immediately felt protective of his daughter as he watched Sidney talking with his Race Engineer in his car. That was until he saw Diana working with Sidney. She was talking to him, and handing him his gloves. Sidney was looking directly at his sister when she said something that made him smile through the visor of his helmet, and they clutched hands in something like a fist pump before she stepped away. He had a lot of respect for Diana after they had met. She checked in on him regularly to see how the food programme was working. They had also talked about her Karting career which she had lost all heart for after her parents’ deaths. If Diana was as close to Sidney as he had heard, he couldn’t be all bad, in spite of his playboy reputation. At least that was what he hoped briefly, before pushing all of those thoughts out of his head before they went too deep.

The cameras switched to the traffic lights at the end of the pit lane. They briefly flashed red before it turned to green, signaling the opening of the track and the first qualifying session was underway. 18 minutes to get to the top 15. Only 3 cars were out on the track immediately, all from the slower performing teams. The rest of the teams were looking to see how their track times looked. Plus, once the other cars put down some rubber from their tyres on the fastest line through the track, other cars would find more grip and get faster speeds later.

“ _And we are IN the thick of it now! Only 6 minutes remaining and with the slower cars moving to the soft tyres to get a quicker time, that means the pressure is on the cars in the garage to make a decision! Stick with the fast times they already have on the board, hoping that they stay in the top 15, or switch to the faster tyres to make sure they move on to Q2.”_

_“Yes, Gerald, from looking at the time boards, the top 3 or 4 might still hang on to their spots, but the bottom 8 drivers have some serious strategizing to do!”_

_“Richard, I might have to disagree with you here. They may have wanted to save an extra set of softs for the race tomorrow, but even if they don’t use them now, they will definitely have to use them later! At least a few hot laps on the medium tyres could keep them safe, and with the time ticking away, the need for at least one out-lap to get some heat into those medium tyres, decisions should have already been made. And yes! There go the Mercedes drivers out of the pit lane, followed directly by the Parker Racing team. All on the Medium tyres. If they stay in this order on the track, it will leave the advantage to Parker and Stringer as the last two cars on track. They no doubt planned it this way!”_

_“Strangely, Mercedes didn’t wait for them to leave first, but maybe the Parker Team is taking a greater risk than we thought with the amount of time left.”_

Joseph Heywood was already on the edge of his seat, and this was just the first qualifying session. There were two more still to go.

_“And that’s the end of Q1! As we thought, Parker and Mercedes have the top 4 times, but this year, it’s not Mercedes with the lead!”_

_“Richard, you know that these times all go back to zero at the end of each qualifying session. Only the last ones count in Q3 for the top ten. But WHAT a turn around at Parker Racing! This could truly be the Cinderella Story of this Grand Prix, and possibly even this season! We haven’t seen a Parker Racing car this close to the top of the grid in 3 years!”_

_“Well, that’s because we haven't seen a Parker Racing car at Pole Position in at **least** that long! Near the top, of course, but Sidney Parker is certainly enjoying how that car is driving today with the current fastest time on the grid!” _ As a former racing driver, Richard was smiling thinking of what it was like to be in a really fast car that responds how you want it to. _“Yes, he is no doubt hoping that this car holds up through qualifying and the race with the same level of performance. His teammate the rookie James Stringer is making quite a name for himself currently running in third after his teammate and Lewis Hamilton. Not bad company to be in for your first Formula One race!”_ Richard and Gerald both chuckled at that comment.

“ _No indeed! Two legends of British racing. One is the current and multiple time World Champion. Then, you have Stringer’s teammate with the family pedigree and a lifetime of experience to back him up. Sidney always seems to make the cars work, even when his teammates can’t get them to. That’s not something you can teach someone. He truly understands the cars, and how to make them work to the advantage of the track. If James Stringer keeps this up, he may make himself a legend in British racing as well!”_

 _“Let’s not jump the gun too quickly Gerald,”_ Richard laughed. _“Let’s give the kid a chance to find his own way through, shall we?”_

_“I’m just noticing some similarities between James and the two drivers currently standing in front of him on the grid. The same tenacity, and bold moves. May need to take better care of his tyres though. Oof! Those look like they took a **beating** on the kerbs!”_

The cameras had followed their coverage to the two garages with the 4 fastest drivers, slowly going through each garage, trying to get a view of any inside information, and get a glimpse of the drivers still in their cars waiting for the next session to start. The tyre covers had been placed on the used tyres before they were removed and the next set put on. They caught James’ car as it was being propped up on the dollies and wheeled into his garage, and the wear from just a few laps was definitely worse than the others’ tyres.

“They don’t really have pit stops in F3, they only made tyre changes when they have to.” Allison spoke out loud softly, but she was really thinking out loud. She was also thinking what everyone else in the Heywood family lounge were thinking. Little Rose had woken up from the noise of the cheers and the television, and was now curled up with a blanket on her mother’s lap. She was already 8, but as she and Oliver were twins, she was small for her age after being born prematurely. Plus, of the 4 older people in the room, she knew her mother would be able to remain quiet while she tried to wake up. One of the few perks of being the smallest person in the house. Jonathon and Oliver shared a room, and came downstairs together after waking, soon followed by Sara.

“Have you seen them yet?” Jonathon asked, and just as it came out of his mouth, a grouping of several teams on the pit wall came on the screen. They could see Charlotte, and then Michael as he walked from the garage to his seat on the pit wall. They were able to see the two of them talking with their heads together, but not able to hear what they were saying. Nodding and more talking, with Charlotte doing most of the talking and explaining with her hands. That was until her head turned and obviously saw the camera pointed at them, before glancing at the live feed on their own screen on the pit wall. She saw the coverage of their conversation, and her physical demeanor changed, but she and Michael had continued to talk to one another.

“They’re talking about the tyres. Charlotte mentioned something about that when I talked after their practice sessions.” Joseph added quietly. Caroline looked over at him, and could see that he was trying to figure out what the problem was. From what Charlotte had said, James still needed to learn how to manage his tyres on the track with the way he drove the car, and with his brake bias in the different corners. Both things that would only come to him with practice, and with understanding the car better.

_“We are underway with Q2, and only 15 minutes to go until we get to our final 10! Let’s not forget that Lewis Hamilton set a new track record in Q2 just **last** year, only to break it **again** in Q3, with a 1:20.486! We haven’t quite reached those times yet this weekend, but we have been getting close!”_

_“For Lewis Hamilton’s track record, I’d say we have been getting perilously close, Richard! He may not enjoy losing a record so soon in a season, especially after holding it for just one year. It would not bode well for the Mercedes team if they were being usurped of their standing at the top right away. NOT that Mercedes ever shies away from a good fight on the track. But if things continue as they have, it looks like we may have one of the most exciting seasons ahead of us in a **very** long time!” _

“Right! Time for breakfast, come along my little chicks.” Caroline could not sit still in front of the telly anymore and listen to all of this speculation, and little Rose had to admit that her mother’s constancy was not what it used to be as her feet were set down on the floor.

“Mum, why do you still call us chickens? We are far too old for that now!” Oliver was determined to maintain a place with the older family members, and did not like to be referred to one of the “littles” or “chicks,” or “ducklings,” or any one of the other baby farm animal monikers that their mother had given the four youngest Heywoods over the years.

“ ** _Oliver Aloysius Heywood_** , would you prefer that I use your _full_ name _only_ from now on?” She knew that he had never appreciated receiving one of the old Kent family names, but it managed to suit his sense of self-importance whether he liked it or not. Plus, her patience was in no way available for this conversation right now.

“No, Mama.” He answered resignedly. Also knowing that addressing her more formally would help his case. He looked over at Sara who rolled her eyes at him.

Caroline Heywood had already retreated to the large kitchen to make breakfast plates and cups of tea for the younger ones, when Sara leaned in to Oliver’s ear. “When are you going to learn to not push your luck when Mum is stressed? Or are you not able to see it?” She whispered loudly. For being only 4 years older that the twins, she was much more mature as the oldest sibling of the younger set of 4. Oliver just shrugged, he had already not enjoyed his mother’s sarcastic retort, and he certainly did not want to hear from his over-achieving sister. “Well, I suggest you learn! In case _you missed_ it, Michael and Lottie are traveling all over the world right now representing this _entire_ family. If they do well, we all do well. If they don’t… well… It will be a great disappointment to Mum and Dad, not to mention the rest of the family.” She looked at her little brother hoping that her words would mean something to him, and then looked over her shoulder to try and catch what was happening in Melbourne at the same time.

Oliver sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ll try Sara, but I can’t promise anything.”

Sara shook her head at her younger brother. “At the very least, think about _how_ you are saying things so that you aren’t hurting anyone else’s feelings. _Especially_ Mama’s.” At least he nodded at that last gem of advice before they sat down at the long kitchen table.

As soon as the four youngest Heywoods were eating in the kitchen, Caroline slowly moved back toward the lounge, with a tea towel twisting in her hands. She could hear the coverage before she could see the telly.

_“What a performance! Another fast round for both the Parker and Mercedes teams! Really the closest times we’ve seen in a long time. Just hundredths of seconds separating the top 4 drivers, with 5 th and 6th coming in a full TWO SECONDS behind in that round!”_

_“We haven’t seen anyone this close at the first race weekend of the season in a long time, Richard. Let’s hope this level of performance continues for the rest of the season! Only Q3 left, coming up in just a few minutes.”_

Caroline looked over to where her husband was still in his chair. He had sat back now that things were looking fairly good for the Parker Racing Team. It was equal parts relief to see them make the top ten, and obviously with strong performances. But also, with some dread that they might actually succeed, which would truly change everything for all of them, from Mr. Heywood all the way down to Rose. It might even mean that they would have to move, or at the very least, travel much, much more. She couldn’t think about that now, it was too far into the future.

Right now, it was still early Saturday on the Heywood Farm, and the children still had to get ready for school on Monday. It was bad enough that they were going to miss church regularly now when the races interfered with service times on Sunday. No more recording and watching it later if they conflicted, everything would have to be watched in real time now. Plus, in a town as small as Willingden it would be noted that they were missing church services, and most likely become another topic of gossip. They were already a topic of gossip, first for having 8 children, then the rest was mostly about Charlotte’s life away from Willingden, and now Joseph’s illness. If success on the scale of F1 reached their doorstep, any changes they would have to make would be seen as “social climbing,” and “ideas above their station.” At least with the older citizens around them who had known the Heywood family for several generations. Caroline shook her head to rid herself of at least some of her concerns so she could focus on qualifying again. It was times like these that she wished she could still partake of a cigarette or two, but she refused to go back after quitting almost 30 years ago. Instead, she kept wringing the towel in her hands to give them something to do while she felt absolutely helpless.

“ _Here we are, just 6 minutes remaining in Q3, Hamilton is currently in first, followed closely by Parker, Stringer, and his Mercedes teammate Virtanen. The rest of the field has been moving up and down the other 6 spots, but none have gotten close to the top 4. They are now waiting in their garages, and I’m interested in seeing what tyres they chose for this last stint in qualifying. My guess is the soft tyres, what do you think Gerald?”_ Richard was smiling at his fellow commentor.

“ _Oh, I agree completely! There is no possible way those top four can choose anything **but** the soft tyres! The times are too close, and there is too much at stake. It’s not hard to pass on this track, but there are fewer spots to do it easily. Plus, if these four, run as fast tomorrow as they are tonight, passing might only happen through the pit stops. And that is a big “if”. You just can’t count on another team making a mistake, especially when that team is named, ‘Mercedes.’” _

**_“_ ** _Very true Gerald! We are down to 5 minutes and some of the slower cars are moving to take the track again. Looks like Parker and Mercedes are waiting for that magic number. They want to get 3 laps in, if possible. One ‘out-lap’ to warm the soft tyre compound, one fast lap, and one more lap that is hopefully faster as the tyres really come in to their grip as they heat up.”_

_“But they have to time it just right, Richard, as you well know. They will want right around 4 minutes on the clock with the times they have been running, but they also want to avoid traffic from the cars that are already out there. Aaaannd… It looks like **Mercedes is making the first move**! With 4:30 on the clock, they can easily get **those three laps, most likely four!** Parker looks to be readying the cars, **tyre warmers are off** , and there goes **Stringer**! Quickly followed **by Sidney Parker**!” _

_“Smooth move by Parker Racing, leaving the last team lap to Sidney Parker. With his performance all weekend, he seems to have the best chance to get that car on Pole Position!”_

Timothy looked back at his mom. “It’s just four more minutes Mum. Tomorrow will be an hour and a half.” He meant it as a way to give her some perspective, but it didn’t help.

“A lot can happen in 4 minutes Timmy.” She reminded him. “A lot can happen in a fourth of a second, in racing.” She did not want to think of the accidents she had seen over the years, usually during the actual races, but it didn’t take away any of her apprehension. She then saw the camera showing the pit wall, showing Mercedes first, then Parker Racing. Michael looked so calm, and he was clearly not talking too much to allow James to concentrate. Then she saw Charlotte. She suddenly looked so much older. Her headphones on sitting up straight as a rod, as she avidly looked at all the data in front of her. Caroline did glimpse her quietly biting her bottom lip, before she leaned to Arthur Parker as they were pointing and talking about something they had noticed. Then Arthur leaning to the man on his right. ‘He must be Sidney’s Race Engineer,’ she thought. Then Charlotte leaning around the man on her left to talk with Michael, as Michael moved the mic on his headset so that their conversation would not be broadcast on the team radio.

“ _This is it Richard! If they can get their cars over the start finish line before the clock goes to all zeroes, they get to count that extra last lap!”_ The commentators were quiet for a moment before they started listing the placement of each driver as they crossed the line. “ _And there go both the Mercedes cars! Lewis currently running in second, Virtanen in third. But here come the Parker cars! Stringer has improved in the first and last sectors… and he is up to **second place**! Here’s his teammate, let’s see how Sidney does… and he places in **first, with still another lap to go**! They are absolutely flying today Richard!_

_“Yes, and that was the last car to pass before the checkered flag comes out, this is it folks! Let’s see if Mercedes can hold on to their pole position from last year here, or will the Parker team set them back a couple notches? You can see Virtanen, he’s making his way around that chicane and headed for the straight!”_

_“He doesn’t seem to be improving on his time, Richard, his second sector looks to be slow, and yes, there on the replay, you can see where he just took that kerb too high and overcompensated as he came back on the track! That has cost him at least half a second! He got a big knock on those tyres, luckily he won't have to use those tyres to start the race tomorrow!”_

_“Yes, Gerald, that mistake may come back to haunt him in the race tomorrow with where he will end up on the grid, though. Not much he can do about it now. But here’s Lewis Hamilton, he is taking those corners flat out! Always smooth and controlled in these sessions; nerves of steel he has! And here he comes under the checkered flag! Has he done it?! ….. **He has**!! Hamilton is your current provisional pole sitter for the Australian Grand Prix! The only drivers who can unseat him now are the rookie from Parker Racing, and their veteran driver, Sidney Parker!”_

Gerald was even more excited than Richard had been, and his voice was getting louder and louder as the viewers at home listened to his distinct Scottish accent. _“And here they come, Stringer has gone fastest of all through sector one, slower in sector two. How did he do in sector 3? We won’t know until he crosses that line!... And… its currently **second place for rookie F1 driver James Stringer!** What a showing, but here comes his teammate!... He’s fastest in sectors one and two! What a remarkable drive from Sidney Parker, but will he do it?! Will he take Pole Position from Lewis Hamilton?!..._

_… **HE DOES!!! He did it!!**_

**_What a show Parker Racing has put on for us this weekend!_ ** _They are a completely different team this year, different from the last 5 years! Just a ground breaking performance so far! And not only that, Sidney Parker has also taken the **track record** from Lewis Hamilton as well!! That last lap was a 1:19.899! Blisteringly fast, Richard!”_

_“What a day, Gerald! Let’s get to Will in the pit lane as these cars come back around for the post qualifying interview. Looks like it’s going to be a great race tomorrow!”_

The sound of screaming from the Heywood family lounge was deafening, the dogs ran out, and Rose covered her ears even as she kept cheering. Joseph Heywood had jumped from his chair after James’ performance, but when Sidney came across the line, he jumped and shot his fist in the air. He turned to see his wife releasing a deep breath, and there may have been some almost tear drops stuck in her lower lids that had not been allowed to fall. It would have taken more than that to break through Caroline Kent Heywood’s defenses. He smiled, and when she finally tore her eyes from the screen to look at him, her broad white smile was as wide as it could have been.

Arthur had encircled Charlotte’s shoulders as his arms wrapped around her after James’ lap, and the whole team collectively held their breath as Sidney finished his lap. The mechanics, and engineers were louder than any other team had been all weekend when that new record-time flashed across the TV screens all over the pit lane and the jumbo screens through the whole race track, and when the abbreviation of Sidney’s last name topped the grid list for the race tomorrow. It had been a **very** long time since they had seen “PAR” next to the number “1” on that list. Those two other times had happened many years ago, and during rainy qualifying events where Sidney excelled. But to also get a track record?! Well, that was beyond what they had even hoped for! The jubilation continued as they moved to the end of the pit lane to the “Parc Ferme” area where the cars are reviewed meticulously by the scrutineers before the race the following day. They are held there and weighed, until a few hours before the race, to keep any manufacturers from trying to make changes in violation of the rules.

The metal barricades were up to separate the cars and drivers from their crews so that everything was protected. The placards resting on the ground for the top three cars to park in front of waited for the cars to make it back around the track. Those who still had their headphones on could hear the calm voice of Babington suddenly get more excited as he spoke to Sidney.

“You did it, Sid!! You did it!! **P1, mate! P1**!! Pole Position! Well done, well done!” George was screaming into his microphone by the end.

They could only hear Sidney cheering before he said, “thank you, thank you guys, thank you for such a magnificent car! She was perfect today, just perfect!” There may have been an undertone of emotion in his voice, a break in his words that could not be hidden by the visor of his helmet, as the team radio was broadcast around the world. There were so many people he was thinking of, his crew, the mechanics, Reggie, his parents, Arthur, Babers, but most especially he thought of Charlotte. Nothing like this could have ever happened without her, and even though the race was still to go, he had never felt as secure in his car, and also in his life.

James had parked his car in Parc Ferme spot for third, which was a good grid placement to be in for the next day because he would start right behind Sidney, on a better part of the track. When he pulled himself out of the car, he jumped to the ground with a fist pump, and the Parker crew that was waiting for them on the fence were ecstatic! He did some high fives and hugs, but had to go right to the officials to weigh in with his helmet to verify the combined weight of the car and its driver. He then walked over to the team assistant who took his ear piece and helmet before giving him his team ball cap to cover his mussed, sweaty curls before having his interview.

Lewis was right after him, parking in the second-place spot, and was equally greeted with cheers from his own crew from Mercedes. The first race was a toss-up to know how the car would perform, and second place could quickly propel him to first if the race went his way. He had won many races from worse spots than second. He was a little stunned and disappointed with the qualifying results, but no one could really match Lewis on focus and determination. Maybe only Sidney, but he had never really had a car that could perform at the same level as whatever car Lewis was in between the two teams he had already raced for. Lewis might have been nervous about the race tomorrow, but he was always a little nervous before each race. It only helped to sharpen his mind and his reflexes, and push him to fight back to get that number one spot. As always, he was the consummate competitor and sportsman. He fist-bumped James and gave him a congratulatory pat on the back with a wide smile. He then watched as Sidney deftly placed his car right behind the number one pole position spot.

The entire pit crew and pit wall had gathered to watch Sidney arrive. He popped up his shoulder cover, took off his harness, and removed his steering wheel before he did a short pull up on the halo that protected the drivers in their cars and stood on his seat. Pumping his fist in the air, he then leaned to replace the steering wheel on its post before he jumped clear of the side of his car from his seat and onto the ground. He did not wait to jump into the crowd of his mechanics and teammates who grabbed and hugged him, lifting him up off the ground despite the short metal fence in front of them. His visor was up, but the helmet was still on. He found Babers and they hugged like the lifelong friends they were. He turned and looked back and forth along the crowd of Parker team shirts, finally seeing Charlotte and Michael pushing through the crowd. He reached his hand forward to pull them to the front, and hugged them both together in big hug just for the two of them. Michael patted his helmet then his back, and the two men shared some words of joy and appreciation. He finally got to hug Charlotte all on her own, but the helmet was awkward. He could still see the wide smile, and her dimples shining as she laughed with joy at how well he and the team had done. It was misery letting her go but he still had to weigh in and get his gear off.

As soon as he got off the scale in the scrutineering garage, he was congratulated by Lewis, Virtanen, and Dan. He walked back out toward the pit lane and was greeted immediately by Diana. She took his helmet and head gear from him before throwing her left arm around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

“SO proud of you Sidney! That was bloody magnificent! Now you just have to do that 58 more times in the race tomorrow!” He laughed at her assertion that this was really only the beginning, because it was.

“Just 58?” He asked with a wink. Diana handed him his team hat and a small towel to wipe his face and his hair from all the sweat.

“A walk in the park, Sidney.” Diana teased back. She then leaned to where the cameras and microphones could not pick up her voice. “Have you seen Charlotte yet?”

“Just briefly, I need to find her.”

“Don’t forget the cameras. You can be sure that her family is watching. Not to mention half of the world,” She warned him with another wink.

He gave his sideways smile to his sister. “Good point, wouldn’t want to make another scene so soon.” But his eyes were still looking to see if she was in the same spot. She was, and now was surrounded by the other engineers, and Arthur who was cheering louder than anyone else. Cameras were already trained on the Parker crew, so he turned his head to look back at Diana, and nodded before walking back over to them without the helmet on. As he approached, Arthur was leading the crew in chanting “SID-NEY, SID-NEY!”

He smiled from embarrassment at the public display, but he still walked over to his brother, grabbed his cheeks as they were both smiling, and then kissed him on the forehead. “Thanks for the car, little brother!” Sidney said it loudly enough for others around them to hear, including the cameras.

Arthur just laughed in his joy, and practically pushed Charlotte forward. “You know who to _REALLY_ thank, Sidney!” Also, loudly enough for the mics to pick up. The crew was still cheering and they grew louder when Charlotte had been moved forward.

Sidney could not hide his admiration for Charlotte, there was nothing that could have hidden that besides sunglasses, which he did not have with him for protection. He reached for her arms, his hands clasped at her elbows with the fence still between them. “Yes, I do,” he answered softly. “Thank you, Dr. Heywood, that’s the best car I’ve ever had.” He was keenly aware of the camera right over his shoulder pointed right at the two of them.

“Thank you, Mr. Parker, for driving it so well.” Her eyes twinkled back at his own. Both of them holding back, but also communicating so much more than what their words were saying. Their smiles grew wider. There was so much to be happy for, and so much still left to do. The moment was brief, but the meaning was deep. Sidney was pulled away for the post-qualifying interviews, he knew that Charlotte still had data to go over before tomorrow, and he reluctantly let go of her arms after another affectionate squeeze. He leaned forward quickly, and moved his back to the camera before speaking to her ear. “Until later, boss.” With a wink he moved to the rest of the crew waiting to celebrate with him still with the camera lens behind him, and then he was off to the press room.

He was grateful to have had such a wonderful excuse for the unending smile on his face. It could all be attributed to the evening qualifying session. He knew that the person responsible for both the car, and for the growing feeling in his chest was the reason for the smile. Thinking on it only made him smile harder. His cheeks were starting to hurt just as Diana handed him his replenishment drink, and discussed his evening warm down to help him recover for tomorrow. He heard everything she was saying, but his eyes kept looking for Charlotte over Diana’s shoulder. He finally saw Arthur moving Charlotte away, no doubt to get back to work, but his smile stayed.


	37. Chills

The post qualifying press conference went as expected. Sidney and James put up a good team front and did not disclose how some of the newer changes had come about with the cars. They may have even shared a couple side glances and smirks with how they had handled the intrusive questions.

“Sidney, brilliant drive today! With how things are going, where do you see the season going for Parker Racing?

“Well, if I could tell you that, I would be headed to the nearest betting shop and retiring early.” He answered with a wry smile that actually got a laugh from his new teammate seated next to him, as well as Lewis who was seated on his other side. “If I was able to do that, I could have bet on Lewis for the past 6 years, and done the same.” Which got an even bigger laugh, and from the entire room. He then turned to his more taciturn demeanor that they were more familiar with. “Why don’t you ask me a serious question.” His eyes were impatient, and annoyed. He hated being made to be a soundbite, or clickbait, and more and more of these questions were being tilted in that direction the past few years.

Lewis leaned forward. “We are all excited for the racing to start tomorrow. It’s always a long wait to get back on the track.” He paused a minute to see if Sidney wanted to add anything, but he now had his arms folded in front of his chest. He knew him well enough to know that his patience was not long for these kinds of press conferences, and Lewis had a lot more experience with the less than interesting questions that they had to field in the pre and post race interviews. “It’s racing, predicting the future is impossible. No matter how good the car is, you can’t predict what happens on the track. I mean, that’s why people watch it, that’s what we love about the sport. you can prepare and prepare, and the car can be perfect, and still someone can push you off the track, or have an unfortunate pit stop, debris gives you a tyre puncture, or the heavens can open and the car barely stays on the track with the wet conditions.” He gave a small half smile. “Ask me tomorrow around 6, and I’ll be happy to tell you my predictions for the race.” He was pleased to see Sidney look over at him and laughed lightly, because of course, the race would be finished by then.

Sensing that the veterans would not be baited, they moved on. “James, big day for you, and a great performance, by the way. Is Formula One what you expected?”

James paused and thought about the question. “I don’t know that I had any real expectations about what it would be like if I ever made it this far. Like any other lad in a Kart at age 5, you dream of getting here. You watch your favorite drivers on the race weekends and try to emulate them, but once you’re on a real track in a real car, it’s really only about what you know and how much trust you have in the car, you know. For me the car has been an adjustment from F3, but it didn’t take as long as I thought it might. Simulator work has helped, but I haven’t even been in a race yet.” He sort of glanced over at Sidney who was just looking down at the table but obviously listening to him as he nodded slightly. “Honestly, I try not to think of F1 in those terms. I’m here because of the Heywood family’s faith in me. More than anything, I feel a responsibility to repay that, to work as hard as I can, and to focus on what I’m doing in the moment. I’m sure I have a lot to learn, but I’m ready to do the work.” He responded and finished with a serious grin. 

“Sidney, how has the transition to adding the Heywood Racing group to Parker Racing been working? The car seems to be better than last year, but what’s Heywood, and what’s Parker?”

Sidney was almost stumped, not wanting to reveal too much. “I honestly did not know what to expect. My brother Tom was the mastermind behind this partnership, along with Mr. Heywood.” He paused, he knew it was all due to the working relationship between Charlotte and Arthur but did not want to reveal that strength publicly. “I think that the fresh ideas and innovation from the Heywoods, combined with the facilities and experience that we provide at Parker Racing has been a very fruitful. Let’s face it, the results so far have been rather good.” He added with a half smile.

“And your new teammate, he seems to be up to snuff?”

“Yeah, absolutely. James has done a great job. I think it may have been a good thing to come in with people he knew and who knew and like him. I think the combination of adding the two teams with the engineers, and with their driver,” and he motioned to James, “has made the transition smoother. Obviously he deserves to be here just from his performance this weekend. It’s all very promising for the team.” Sidney had been very generous with James, but what he had said was true. Plus, if he just owned up to James as a serious competitor, they would probably stop asking him about it.

“It doesn’t concern you that he could possible out-perform you in the same car?”

“Having a teammate out-perform you in the same car is what concerns all of us, I think.” He looked over at Lewis who had been watching him.

“Absolutely,” Lewis added. “It’s all the same equipment, so yes, your first competitor is always your teammate.”

“Lewis, what do you think went wrong today for you not to get Pole? And how to do feel about losing the track record?”

Lewis laughed before answering. “I know that sometimes we can make it look easy, but each pole position and podium finish, and fastest lap, is the culmination of the work of hundreds of people. But, yeah, it stings a bit, but Sidney was faster today, it’s that simple. We’ll see how it all goes tomorrow.” He added with a confident shrug and a small smile.

Sidney had been watching him from the corner of his eye as he had answered. Yes, his teammate was his first competitor, but there were 18 more on the grid, and the fastest, most decorated driver, who also had a brilliant car, would ultimately be his most consistent and motivated competitor at every race in the upcoming season. And Lewis was that driver. As much as they got along and respected one another, no one on that track wanted to come in second, or any other number that followed it. It was a tentative friendship. One based in mutual respect for one another’s skills, and one another’s lives while racing. It didn’t hurt that Lewis had earned his respect early when Reggie was still around. Playing with and entertaining Georgiana in the paddock and at F1 events. When Reggie had died, and Sidney was also grieving, he had been instrumental in helping G get through some of those race weeks abroad. There weren't many people of color in F1, and Lewis had given her a safe space to be herself and actually embrace and be proud of her identity. Something that Sidney had known he couldn’t completely relate to, or have been able to do for her on his own.

Finally the press session was over, and the drivers could start preparing for the next day. The first thing that Sidney did was text Charlotte. He had seen a text she had sent to him right before the interviews started, and the desire to get out of the press conference to answer her had been the underlying thought in his mind through the whole post qualifying circus.

Sidney: Where are you? Just finished xx

Charlotte: Control center with Arthur and Diana xx

Sidney jogged into the glass doors of the control center and found all three of his siblings smiling and talking with Charlotte and Michael. His eyes found Charlotte’s first and she turned as she sensed that it was him coming through the door. Finally out of the public eyes in the pit lane and paddock area, he strode over to her and wrapped his arms around her middle, picked her up and swung her around with him in a circle. Kissing her cheek he set her carefully down.

“I hope you’re happy with the results today?” He asked with a tilt of his head and wide smile.

“Yes, mostly,” she added with her own cheeky smile.

“ _Mostly_?! We got a new track record, Dr. Heywood!” Sidney pretended to be affronted by her comment, and leaned back to see her better.

“Just because the results were what we wanted, doesn’t mean that there aren’t other things that need adjusting down the road.” She added with a tilt of her own head.

He should have known that her head was already working on tomorrow, and how they could improve things before the next race, and probably the next four races after that. He gave her a small half smile, “Of course, but you must allow for a little recognition of all the hard work everyone has done, including yourself.”

“Yes, Charlotte, enjoy this! It doesn’t happen this way very often!” Arthur smiled as he joined the two of them in a large bear hug. Charlotte couldn’t but help relax her thoughts with both of their encouragement.

“Yes, I’m sure you are both right. It has been an exciting day.” She added with a smile.

“And now it is time for an early celebratory dinner!” Tom exclaimed. He had hung back watching how everything went today. He had been feeling that he had gambled too hard with joining with the Heywoods. All the other “partnerships” had only been financial, and the last two had been disastrous. This was a partnership that had been based on so much more than that, and the closer they had gotten to the season, the more he had questioned it, and his decisions. Now that Charlotte and Sidney seemed to be getting closer and closer, the stakes were even higher. Today was at least some proof that he hadn’t made a complete ass of himself. That was some small accomplishment at the very least. He had even heard Sidney speak of it in the press conference, which surprised him that his brother had given him credit, when their relationship had been so strained for the past 3 years. The exit of the Denhams had been a hardship which led to an extensive sacrifice for the family. One they did not like to talk about as the pain was still too fresh. He decided to celebrate the good things when they happened. He also resolved to try and stay out the burgeoning relationship between his brother and his new Tech Director. Mary had talked him out of confronting Sidney about it after his first phone call home when they had arrived in Melbourne. But this was good, today was good, and it was worth taking a moment to be happy with the results.

“Are we sure that we should celebrate before tomorrow? It seems a bit… well, I don’t want to sound superstitious, but… preemptive?” Michael added cautiously. It wasnot an approach that their father would have promoted. It was almost like tempting fate, or asking the universe to send you down a few steps, he thought.

“A very small celebration, Michael, don’t worry. Just a dinner to relax before tomorrow. If there is any champagne to pop, that will be for tomorrow on the podium.” Tom’s enthusiastic smile was difficult to ignore when he was like this. Michael simply smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. “Now, where’s our other driver?” As soon as he had said it, Tom saw Clara leading James back from the press conference to the control center. No doubt she was lending her expertise in handling the press gorillas when they started beating their chests.

“Yes, she’s quite a good reporter, and fair. Plus she is very knowledgeable, so an interview with her would be ideal. I’ll make sure to set one up and be there with you to help with any difficult questions.” Clara looked up from her conversation with James and smiled at the assembled group as they walked through the doors. James had done very well on the track, and the requests for sit-down interviews with the rookie driver were pouring in. “Well-done today, everyone,” she smiled. Leaving James to talk with the men and Diana, she pulled Charlotte over to the side a bit. “How are you feeling? You know, you and Sidney did well today, not revealing too much on camera.” She added.

“I think I’m doing well. Very happy with how everything went,” but Charlotte still looked pensive despite the smile on her face. “Not sure how I will feel until tomorrow is over. There is still too much that is unknown.”

“Let’s hope it goes as well as today,” she added encouragingly and with a smile. She wanted to discuss the press situation more with Charlotte, but were interrupted before she could continue.

“Great work, everyone, dinner is at the hotel, they’ve reserved a private dining room for us. Arthur, please let the rest of the senior engineers know to join us.” Tom would not be refused in his persistence to mark this occasion, despite anyone else’s reservations. It had simply been too long in coming, as far as he was concerned. He saw some of the hesitation. “This is important for us to recognize, no matter what happens tomorrow, this is an achievement that deserves celebration. Even if it is simply a dinner with the team.”

Arthur took out his phone, and sent emails to the top 6 engineers, Babington, Fred, and Crowe. Arthur did notice that there were more cameras than usual as they exited the secured paddock areas, and fans with Parker Racing shirts had gathered to see them, well at least to see the drivers before they left the track. They had been very respectful and hung back. Arthur knew that some of them were dying to meet the drivers and maybe get autographs, but tomorrow was race day. It would be better if they could all have a quiet evening to focus. Tom’s idea of a dinner had actually been a good one, he thought. Just them, no distractions, no fans or competitors to run into somewhere else. It had taken them so long to get to a situation like this, there was no sense in upsetting the apple cart. The vans and SUVs were waiting for them to take them to the hotel.

In the van on the way to the hotel, Charlotte had searched through her bag to find her phone. She had turned it off after her father’s incessant messages, she had text Sidney once he left for the interview and had ignored most of the messages until she was finally sitting down. The lists of messages and emails were long. Mum and Dad of course, Alison, Timothy, Esther, Aunt Augusta, some of the engineers working back in Sanditon, a few acquaintances from Southampton U and MIT. Even Lady Denham had sent her a note with a gif attached, and a link to follow her on Twitter! That was a surprise indeed!

She was delighted to see her favorite Computer Sciences professor from Cambridge had also sent her a note. Dr. Samuel Sidaway had always been honest, and supportive of her. He had been one of those teachers or professors that Charlotte had just clicked with. Not all of them were like that, and they had stayed in touch ever since. She was so much younger than all the other students he had teasingly called her “Duchess” because of her excellent manners, neat appearance, and the way she had approached all of her work. His correspondence always brought a smile to her face. And it _was_ correspondence. Email, text, Royal Mail, DHL overnight envelopes to the United States, and the occasional care package. The most notable one being a heavy box with enough Oolong tea for a couple months, a dozen sleeves of chocolate digestives, and a cache of Cambridge University paraphernalia. Enough items to wear for a week-straight while she was living next to MIT’s campus, and a note to “remind” her “which Cambridge was the _real_ one. Not that imitation version outside of Boston!” She giggled just thinking about it, the heavy jumpers and biscuits with tea had gotten her through some long chilly nights in New England.

She had sent some quick notes of thanks, and returned most of the messages. Papa had been very excited once she had scrolled through the long line of bubbles on the left side of her screen that he had sent. Mama had sent a string of apologies interspersed with mentions of how they saw them on the telly and “what an impressive young lady she was turning out to be, and really always had been. Now the whole world is seeing it.” Charlotte wasn’t sure if her mum was happy about that last bit, or not, but it had made Charlotte feel a little emotional. It really could have been taken either way. She did not want to dwell on that. Aunt Augusta was “so pleased with how well you looked,” and how her “posture was admirable sitting on those dreadful stools!” If Charlotte had presented herself well it had all been down to her daily reminders from Aunt Augusta. She and her sister Caroline had been brought up in society as proper young ladies. They did not socialize with royalty, but they did not socialize with average citizens either. For Caroline to have married someone who owned a small estate that he had originally farmed, had been seen as a distinct step down. Now, Caroline and her family, were one of the more successful in the Kent line of descendants. Too many cousins had thought the money would just keep coming as they spent it, and had not been prepared to manage their own affairs.

Charlotte took a deep breath, processing and filing all of the messages in her mental notesby their priority. They had been shown to the wood paneled private dining room as she had finished making responses on her phone, Sidney making sure she didn’t walk into anything whilst she walked and worked at the same time. She finally put away her phone and took a look around the cosy dining room. There were several large round tables for everyone to sit, waitstaff were waiting for them to take drink orders before they even sat down, and Charlotte noticed that the room was quiet with only some soft music playing on the hidden speakers. As expected, Diana had pulled one of the waiters over as soon as they had gotten there, settling the previously approved menu for her and Sidney. Charlotte thought that It was a nice change from a restaurant or the large dining room, plus it would not do well for her and Sidney to be absent from another team group dinner this week. Sidney asked her where she wanted to sit, since he had not left her side since the control center, making sure she had not wandered into anything as she had focused on her phone screen.

Small groups were standing and chatting. Reworking all the events of the day, the engineers had wasted little time in pulling James and Sidney aside to go over more of their thoughts. Tonight, and tomorrow, they would not be allowed to make any changes to the cars. They wouldn’t even get the cars back until the afternoon, but there were always details that could use ironing out. Charlotte had avoided the new conversations by staying seated at the table and finishing going through the rest of her messages. She eventually turned the phone off again, realizing that it was the only way to not be interrupted now that there were so many people wanting to get in touch with her. She took a moment to look around the room. Tom was speaking with the engineers and drivers who had now made a circle as they spoke while they were still standing. Diana was again talking with the head waiter, who then brought her back to the kitchen, where Charlotte assumed she would be speaking with the chef. She turned her head to see Crowe speaking with Clara, and she paused and wondered what may have gone on there. From Clara’s expression, which was difficult to read on a good day, she seemed unmoved by whatever Robert was saying. Clara caught her eye, and gave Charlotte a small smile. She waved Crowe away as she dismissed him, and walked to where Charlotte was seated.

“Well done today, how are you feeling?” Clara asked her as she pulled out the chair on Charlotte’s right, to sit down.

“I’m feeling….” Once she took a second to think about it, she wasn’t entirely sure how she was feeling. “Um, I guess I’m relieved that part is over, and anxious about tomorrow… A little overwhelmed I guess.” It was so much easier to answer questions about what she was thinking over questions about what she was feeling. Her life had been centered around her mind and her thoughts, not around her feelings. She was beginning to notice that perhaps there was some work she would need to do there as well. Feelings should be easy, right? As soon as that crossed her mind, she knew it was wrong. It was the same sick sensation in the center of her gut that seized when she knew something was wrong with her work. That same tightness from some further instinct she also did not fully understand. She shook her head slightly and reached for the water glass in front of her place setting, and tightened her grip around the slippery condensation already forming on the outside of the goblet.

Clara recognized that same look in Charlotte as she had seen before her first press conference. She leaned in closer. “It’s your first race weekend, nerves or some anxiety is to be expected. Add a new romantic relationship to that, and it’s a miracle you are holding up as well as you are.” Charlotte looked at her directly, her eyes showing something of those feelings, but also something else. Apparently the words had helped though, as Clara received a small smile in return. “Truly,” she added for some emphasis, and smiled in return.

“Thank you, Clara. You have been so helpful through all of this. You really have a very practical approach to things,” she added with another smile. “It’s very helpful when my mind gets busy.”

Clara laughed. “At least I can be helpful with something!” She laughed again. “I certainly couldn’t help with anything technical.” She finished with an eye-roll and a laugh. “Now, about tomorrow…” She turned more seriously toward Charlotte.“I think you and Sidney should talk and decide now how you want to handle things, no matter what the outcome. But if he wins, or even gets on the podium, emotions might get the better of the both of you.” She was looking at her pointedly. “Just so you have a game plan, on how you would both be comfortable reacting on television.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened at her comment. She and Sidney hadn’t really talked about how to handle their relationship other than behaving in a professional way while at work. They hadn’t spoken recently, or at least since they had become an official couple, any further about how they might want to handle the press. How to keep the relationship on their terms, and not the public’s. She turned her head sharply to look at him, still talking in the circle of men chatting and discussing the events of the day. She released a long-held sigh. There was always something to “work” on, whether it had to do with work or not.

Clara squeezed Charlotte’s hand that was laying on the table. The expression that Charlotte gave her reminded Clara of a Disney character. Wide-eyed and facing some insurmountable task. That could cover any number of Disney characters, she thought. It was just that Charlotte’s eyes were open and revealed her thoughts, speaking without her having to speak. Vulnerable, and perhaps a little scared. Despite the image she had projected at work, and the press so far, Clara reminded herself that Charlotte was still young. Regardless of her education and experiences, she was still in her early 20’s. Not that Clara was that much older at 27, but with the life she’d had, she felt like she had been 27 for the past 20 years. Charlotte’s innocence had not been lost, or taken by someone else. The remnants of her still-young age were attached firmly to her. Patting her hand and giving her a smile, she added, “I’m sure Sidney will be more than supportive of whatever you want. He seems determined to protect what the two of you have.” She smiled wider, hoping that would help her to relax a little.

Another small sigh escaped as she thought about what it was that she wanted in regards to the public. She wasn’t entirely sure. It made sense though, to keep things quiet, especially with her family watching so closely at home. She nodded as she looked back at Clara. “Yes, you’re right. I’ll talk with him.” She turned to look back at Sidney and saw that the group was dispersing, and he was practically at their table. He pulled out the chair for himself on Charlotte's left, and sat down. His large frame seemed to almost dwarf her, but that could also have been the energy he was still managing with the adrenaline from earlier.

He looked at her and flashed his wide white smile. “Swim later? Diana got me a time when the pool is usually closed. Wait for this meal to settle first, before diving in,” he added. He noticed that she looked a little weary, but after the afternoon they had, plus the week before, it was understandable. He thought swimming might help her relax a little before tomorrow.

She graced him with a wide smile. “Oh, I would like that very much,” and she felt like the weight had already lifted from her back. A swim was just what she needed.

Thirty lengths of the pool later, swum in a quick freestyle crawl, she paused in the shallower end by the ladder to clean the fog from her goggles and readjust her cap. Sidney was still swimming on his side of the pool, a front facing snorkel had been acquired so that he could keep swimming without coming up for air. He was practiced in using it, and had impressed her with continuing to do his flip turns with it on by blowing out air when it went underwater with him. Sometimes, like now, her thoughts turned to earlier events and people in her life who helped in making her doubts and fears rise to the surface. Watching Sidney’s cut form sweep the water out of his path suddenly reminded her that she was short and curvy, and unlike any of the other women she had ever seen linked with him. It was all too easy to let the teasing of the past interfere with the present. It didn’t take much to feel like her 11 year-old self again, the youngest in her class. Always the shortest, always the smartest, always the one proving herself, or at least trying to. Once she had started to develop early as well, the attention changed to teasing her about her appearance, and not just her mental attributes or her age. Aunt Augusta had insisted with her mother to make sure that Charlotte had a counselor to speak with regularly. It had helped her understand her situation better, but it never really made the situations any better.

Consequently, someone like Sidney did not even seem like a possibility in her life. Not that she had ever placed that much emphasis on someone’s appearance in any of her interactions. But she had also never even tried dating the athletic types in college, not that they were much interested in someone so young who was also so many years ahead of them in school. She had certainly gotten some looks from them, but once they found out who she was, that was the end of it.  
She had been " _that_ girl." Too serious, too focused, too opinionated, too bookish, too smart, and too young… She had found out early on that it was not an attractive combination to most men, even with the mental heavyweights at Cambridge. Their competitiveness probably made her god-given skills even more unattractive once their egos were involved.

Sidney never really mentioned it. If he did, it was in a teasing way, and more to make fun of himself than of her. He never shied away from a subject, never stopped her from explaining her thoughts, never even seemed to care that she was different. She was having a difficult time accepting that someone who was clearly intelligent, and also as physically gifted as he was, would cross her path at this point in her life. She did not want to question it, he hadn’t given her any _reasons_ to question it. Her confidence seemed to waver on a daily basis. Sometimes more often than that. When this had all started she didn’t over think it, she had thought she might have been more confident about them than he was, but with time and her personal tendencies for analysis, that had changed. She did not want to doubt him or herself. That was a dangerous path she had been avoiding since that luncheon on the first day of work. Once her anger with him had quelled, it had been impossible to not see how attractive he was. Physically as well as how his mind worked. Now, they needed to talk about their relationship. This meant also talking about the future, which she did not want to do. She did not want to think that far. It seemed too much like tempting fate to do so. But now, later tonight, it would be inevitable.

***

“What do you mean we need to talk?” Sidney never liked the sound of those words.

“Just something Clara mentioned that we should talk about.” Sidney’s shoulders dropped a little from their tense state at Charlotte’s comment. “She just said, that we should talk about how we want to handle the press, and the F1 coverage on the television.” Charlotte had not expected his strong response to wanting to talk.

Sidney chuckled, “is that all?” He laughed, relieved that this was what the “‘we need to talk about something’” comment, from Charlotte as soon as they had come into the suite, was all about. Still both in their swim suits, he was surprised at the sudden seriousness with which she spoke the words. It harkened back to his last conversation with his ex-fiancee´ much too closely. He looked at her, and she still seemed uncomfortable. “Darling, what is the matter?” His voice and demeanor softer.

She shook her head, “nothing really, but Clara made a very good point. If things go well tomorrow, she thinks we should have a plan. _Especially_ if things go well, how we will manage it. Being in front of the cameras and the press.”

“Ah, yes.” He understood what she and Clara had meant. “To be honest, I’ve never had a girlfriend who was on the pit lane or the garage.” He looked at her, noticing her apprehension. Her hair was wet and hanging longer than it did when it was curly and dry, the simple black dress she had thrown over the wet swimsuit had gotten soaked through in some spots, most distractingly on her breasts. He could see her shiver from the cool air-conditioning in the suite. “Darling, you’re soaked, and cold, don’t you want to talk about this later?”

“I just… I won’t be able to get it out of my head until we talk about it, so I don’t want to wait.” She added determinedly.

“Of course, if that’s what you want.” Why did she look so small and young all of a sudden? He walked closer to her and pulled her to him, at least he could try and keep her a little warmer.Wrapping his arms around her, he rubbed her back gently. “What is it that _you_ want, Charlotte?”

“I suppose… honestly, I’m not sure. I hate the idea of hiding in the shadows, but I don’t want to share this with anyone else, either. Certainly not a host of strangers reading about it on the internet. It all seems so… _invasive_.” She realized that was 100 percent true as soon as she had said it. She added, “I don’t want to put so much pressure on us. We’ve only been dating for a week, plus the whole season ahead of us, plus the expectations of our families, your fans, the team…” She sighed thinking of all of it once. She had limited herself to not doing that, until now. This was not the conversation she thought they should be having the night before his first race of the season.

He wasn’t sure what she meant by that, “only dating for a week,” comment. The rest all seemed to him to be perfectly sensible. He felt like they had been together for longer than they had actually dated. He felt so comfortable with her, and she was the only woman he had thought about once he had met her, but she didn’t know that’s how he felt. He also did not want to scare her off. He pulled back to look at her. “Charlotte, I’ve said before, I don’t want to pressure you. But, I also don’t want to be with anyone else.” His eyes searched hers, looking for how she felt as his hands held on to her shoulders. He relaxed a little when he saw her small smile.

“That’s lovely to hear you say that,” she said very softly. “I don’t want to be with anyone else, either.” She looked up at him, his eyes were intently focused on her face. “I suppose we should stick to what we’ve been doing?”

“I think that’s working so far. We aren’t hiding it from anyone at work, or our families. They’re the people who matter the most anyway.” He bit his bottom lip. “I’ll try and keep my hands off of you at work, and that includes any of the tracks we are working at. That way we won’t be flaunting it in front of the cameras.” He looked at her more intently. “But… I do not want to hide and stay away from you. I know we spoke of this in Clara’s office on that awful morning. I can’t hide how I feel about you, even if I tried I couldn’t. I’ll be a professional, and I’ll respect your wishes, but I will not pretend that we are not together. I hate to sound like a possessive Neanderthal, but I also don’t want anyone to think that you’re available and looking to ask you out.” He was very serious, so when she laughed at what he had said he was not happy with it.

“I _hardly_ think that will be the problem!” She clarified, as she laughed. “It has never been a problem before, I doubt I’ll have a line of suitors waiting to ask me out for a date!” She added incredulously. His furrowed brow and tightened expression surprised her. “Sidney?”

“Why _wouldn’t_ you think that?” He asked, perturbed that she was not taking this seriously when she was the one to bring it up.

“Like I said, it has never been a problem. Not in college, not in graduate school, or doing research. I mean, I’ve dated, but the boys, or men, have been _few and far_ between.” She hated admitting it to him. It felt humiliating how unattractive most men had found her, knowing his own history. She really was not in his league, she worried. He couldn’t possibly know what someone like her had experienced over the years.

“Well they’re all **idiots**! I don’t care where you went to school or with whom, and I don’t think the men here in F1 will be like the ones you knew in school, even if they went to the same schools that _you_ did.” He was angry now. How could she not see how desirable she was?! Her mouth was open in shock from his reaction. “Give any of the straight, single men on the pit lane 5 minutes with you, and they will _all_ want to ask you out, Charlotte! Forget just the single men, the married ones will want to as well!”

“What do you mean, Sidney, why are you so mad?” She was in shock that this was where the conversation went, especially after the conversation they had had the night before.

“I’m not _mad_!” He pulled away and ran his right hand through his hair like he always did when he was thinking.

“You _sound_ mad!” She confronted him.

His own insecurities were clashing with her experiences, he just hadn’t realized how sheltered she had been despite her extensive education. She really did not seem to understand or have an awareness of how men reacted to her. He had seen it already with James, with Dan, even Lewis seemed to talk with her in a lighter and more friendly way, and he hardly _ever_ did that. He hated to think what some of the other engineers and team bosses would do if they got to know her better. He _was_ a Neanderthal! Dammit! He started pacing, walking in small circles.

Charlotte’s soft voice tried to break through whatever wall had just risen in front of her eyes. “Sidney… please… can’t we just talk about us?”

He stopped his circling, and looked up at her. What was he doing? He was pushing her away, making her doubt him, doubt herself and her own feelings. “Charlotte,” he walked toward her again and grabbed her hands in his. He looked down at her smooth small hands, and shook his head at his overreaction. “I’m sorry, I’m…” How was he supposed to tell her? Or not tell her? It was a feeling he was not comfortable with yet, and did not know how to proceed. He still could not look up from her hands to see her face just yet.

“Sidney, if you really are worried about other men, and I don’t think you should be, I’m not looking for anyone else.” She broke through the bubble of confusion that had covered him. Her voice was quiet and almost sad, and he hated himself for making her feel that way. “It really and truly has not been an issue in my life, and I don’t want to minimize your concerns, but I can’t see situations like that becoming a problem.” She was trying to understand his concerns, but it seemed so alien for her to think this way. To think that men were going to be falling down at her feet, seemed to be as laughable now as it had been at any other point in her life. Just because Sidney had found her attractive didn’t mean that every other man would.

Sidney nodded quietly. He realized that he still had trust issues after Eliza’s betrayal. Apparently, those hadn’t really gone anywhere, even after 7 years of therapy and hundreds of random dates. Even if someone asked her out, it didn’t mean that she would say yes, and dump him like Eliza had. Or rather, cheat on him for months before dumping him, like Eliza had. He nodded again. “I’m sorry, I… I feel like I’ve been looking for you for half my life, and now that I’ve found you I don’t want to lose you.” His voice cracked as he spoke. He still kept his eyes down, ashamed for how desperate and insecure he felt.

“Sidney? Please look at me,” she asked softly. He slowly raised his head to see her face. “Have you really been looking someone _just like me_ for half your life?” She was almost teasing him, and maybe it was the wrong approach, she thought as he hesitated.

He smiled a little. “Who knew someone like you existed, Charlotte. You are everything I didn’t know I wanted and needed, until now. A perfect little package of beauty and intelligence.” His eyes softened just a little.

“I am far from perfect, Sidney. As you already well-know.” She paused, a little surprised by the compliment. Maybe he hadn’t looked hard enough at her faults and flaws yet, she couldn't seem to escape them. Her eyes searched his face. “You aren’t going to lose me, Sidney. I don’t know if I’ve done or said something to make you think that, but I’m not planning on going anywhere.” It might have been too much, she thought. It might be saying too much, but he had said that losing her was what he was worried about.

“You haven’t done or said anything to make me doubt you or us. It’s… my own demons that follow me around that tell me that. I thought I had gotten past them, but I guess I never had so much to lose, until now.” He looked at her as he said it. He released his breath as he felt her small hand come up to his face and held his cheek. He was really in a place he had never been before. He had never fallen so hard and so fast for someone. He had never thought about marriage after Eliza, never even considered it as part of his future. Now… it was still too soon…

“What I can do is promise you, that if someone _does_ ask me out, that I will say ‘no.’ I’m so happy with you Sidney. Happier than I have ever been. I don’t _want_ to see anyone else but you... My Dearest Sidney.” Her voice was warm but had a hint of uncertainty of how he would accept it. This was not a side of him she had seen other than that flash of jealousy after she met Dan in the pit lane earlier in the week. Not something she thought he would have struggles with. As far as she could see, there weren’t any reasons for him to feel insecure or threatened by anyone else. “Please believe me.” She practically pleaded with her eyes searching his face.

“My Darling, of course I believe you.” He pulled her close to him, placing the back of her head in the palm of his hand. Her wet hair stuck to his hand as he tilted her head back and kissed her. Releasing all of the remorse and desire that had erupted from Sidney, during what should have been an easy conversation. He moved his lips from hers to her cheek, kissing as he apologized over and over. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for losing it, Charlotte. You mean so much to me.” He returned his lips to hers, and he felt her arms reach up to wrap around his neck as he pulled her even closer. Her little body was still so cold and wet from the pool, and he felt even more guilty for drawing out this conversation into an argument.

Charlotte had to pull back for air, and took a few deep breaths. “Sidney, I don’t even understand what happened here, other than maybe you _don’t_ want to keep doing what we have with keeping our relationship more private. Is that it?” She asked him breathlessly. She still clung to his neck and pressed herself against him, trying to get warm. She could feel her teeth getting close to chattering soon, and she was sure that her lips would be blue if they hadn’t just been kissing.

Sidney shook his head. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I want you to feel ready for the press attention before we do that.” He was also catching his breath, but held her tight. “Like I said, I don’t want you to feel pressured.” He looked at her eyes to see her reaction. He saw her biting her lower lip but she was also nodding at the same time. “Are you sure, you usually bite your lip when you’re thinking about something?” He asked apprehensively.

“N-no, m-my tee-teeth are…” before she could even finished he picked her up and started to carry her towards her bathroom.

“My poor darling, you’re so cold!” He set her feet down on the mat by the shower, and reached in to turn the hot water on. When he turned back around she was smiling at him despite her lips still moving involuntarily from her trembling teeth. He reached for the hem of her dress, and pulled it off quickly, then moved to the straps of the swim suit she was wearing underneath, gently peeling the tight wet fabric from her body. God, would he ever stop thinking of unwrapping a present whenever he helped her to remove her clothes? He asked himself. It was half question, half prayer. He doubted that feeling would ever change. Her skin was cold and clammy, and downright freezing where the suit had been pressing the cold wet fabric against her. He then quickly undressed from his tee-shirt and shorts and then his swim jammers underneath, before helping her step into the shower on her unsteady feet. He moved her under the large rainfall shower-head, and stepped in after her and rubbed her arms to get her blood moving.

“H-hold me Si-Sidney,” her teeth were still clattering, and she needed him to hold her tight to keep her nervous system from shaking her uncontrollably. At first the water felt too hot, and she had to turn it down, but the chattering was taking so long to stop, and Sidney reached to turn the hot water higher again. She tucked her arms against his chest as he he’d her tight to warm her.

He whispered to her as she shook and stood under the water to get warm. “My Darling, I’m so sorry. We will never talk while standing in cold wet bathing suits ever again, I’m so sorry, my Love.” As soon as he said it, he almost froze still himself. Did he say that? Did she hear that? He looked down and her body was still shaking, so maybe she didn’t hear him call her “my Love.” But he realized that even if she did, he didn’t care. He smiled widely as he continued to gently rub her skin under the water. He had meant it, and did not want to take it back. Instead he seemed energized by it. He reached to put his hands on her cheeks, brushing her soaking hair away from her face. She looked up at him, she seemed warmer, her teeth were not cooperating as they continued to tremble, but her body was not shaking as much. He gave her his half smile before he leaned and attempted to quiet her lips and teeth with the strength of his lips on hers. If he could, he would have transferred any of his own heat to her to warm her, and this seemed to him to be the most logical solution as he tried to breathe himself into her. His hands moved to wrap her tightly against him, it was the most comforting and exhilarating feeling at the same time, to feel her nakedness against his own. The heat of the water, the heat from their bodies, the heat from their feelings, he could barely hold himself back. She aroused in him reactions that he had not experienced before, and it was consuming, like a fire. Moaning her name, he moved his lips to her neck, where she moaned his name in return.

“Sidney…my Dearest…” She was breathless, her teeth had stopped their annoying reaction to the cold, and now she felt hot. She felt desired, and _wanted_. Like Sidney could never have enough of her. She felt him move from her neck to trail his hands and his lips down her body like the water from the shower-head above her, and the thoughts and concerns from earlier were forgotten entirely.

***

Sidney woke up tangled in the sheets of Charlotte’s bed, and Charlotte herself. He grinned as he remembered the night before, until he remembered the argument that preceded the better events of the evening.He absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her bare back as she laid with her head on his chest. He felt her shift and snuggle-in tightly against him with a small sound. He grinned again. What on earth had taken over him last night. Jealousy? Frustration? The “L” word he had basically said in the shower right after that argument? He had certainly felt guilty for the way he had basically attacked her for not understanding the influence she had on other men. Idiot! What had come over him was his view of the world, what he had known in his life, not hers. Now that she was in this same life with him, there were things she didn’t understand yet. She had worked for her father before, no wonder James hadn’t made a move, he thought. Not with her father standing over his shoulder and in his path at the same time. He was very grateful to Mr. Heywood for his presence with his team last season. The real question was, would he have been as bold with Charlotte if her father had been around. His brows furrowed and he looked down on her splayed curls on her back, and watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath that she took.

He didn’t like this feeling. The feeling that he had been fortunate where James hadn’t. If she knew and could have chosen, would she still have chosen him? And the distasteful idea that he had been fortunate because her father had been diagnosed with cancer, and not been present through the past 5 weeks made him nauseous. He decided then and there that he needed to meet her parents sooner rather than later. To assure her father, if he could, that his “intentions” were not to take advantage of his remarkable daughter. To convince him that he was being sincere with her, and that this relationship was not based on a whim, or pure lust, even if there had been a certain amount of lust involved. It was when he was deep in his thoughts that Charlotte’s alarm on her phone went off. 7am. He felt her slowly start to peel her face from his warm chest, her eyes blinking against his skin so that her eyelashes fluttered against the skin over his ribs.

“Hey, that tickles!” He laughed.

“Hmm? What?” Charlotte mumbled. She pushed up to turn her head toward him, and placed her breasts where her head had just been sleeping. Looking up, she squinted in the pale light coming from the bathroom, and tried to gain some awareness of her surroundings and the time of day.

“It’s morning, beautiful,” he pulled her up gently so that he could kiss her awake. “Or perhaps it’s sleeping beauty,” he added before he puled back to look at her again. “It would certainly suit you.” He dove his lips towards her to hers again with much more intensity after he had been awake thinking of her just minutes before. With his hands holding her shoulders he rolled her over so that he was on top of her now. She giggled with how eager he was.

“Sidney,” she spoke in-between his kisses. “Sidney, it’s race day. Don’t you have rules or a schedule or something?” He focused on the task at hand and ignored the question as he roamed his hands over her body, now warm with sleep. “Sidney,” she gasped as his attentions were not abating, but instead moving quickly toward pleasuring them both. She was powerless in controlling her reactions to him, and powerless against his wishes. She knew there was no point in fighting it once he had her in his sights. There was only to let go, and match his fervor with her own.

***

Many of the fans had arrived to the track before the senior team members on race day. There were other events, other small races on the track before the main event at 4 in the afternoon. Plenty of activities to do in the general admissions areas, f1 fan events, and simulators and games they could play. Plenty of merchandise, all licensed and branded through F1 and the teams. Everything here was authentic, from the race-car key fobs, to the cars on the track. It was dusty and hot in the early afternoon, but for those without seats, it was imperative to get there early to claim a prime viewing spot. Those with the funds for grandstand seats, were sure to see the action on the the track in front of them, as well as the thoughtfully placed jumbo screens that would project the F1 broadcast that was also transmitted across the world. The _very_ lucky fans would have paddock VIP access and seats that were set up near the pit lane, with the ability to walk around the areas behind the garages. A backstage pass. The weather looked like it would cooperate for most of the day, but there was a chance that some cloud bursts could appear in the afternoon, around the latter part of the race. It was a time for willing and praying that the clouds would move on, or simply bendaround the park to avoid causing problems. But the beginning of the race looked like it would be dry, a definite relief for the teams on the grid.

Getting to the track was even more difficult that morning than the day before, even with traffic being moved for them. A separate traffic lane had been blocked off for the teams and VIPS to use, as the “common folk” walked toward the track. The mechanics had gotten there early, as well as the strategists that were communicating with the crew back in Sanditon. Their meteorologists were working to try and track any inclement weather, and all of this information was being woven together to make their final plans, and several back-up plans. Charlotte had her laptop out in the van on the way to the track. Back in school she would have used a hot-spot for internet access, but with any team-sensitive materials, she would only used the secured WIFI that F1 provided in the paddock. Now it was just notes, what to check, what to pay attention to during the race, what metrics she wanted to track and who she could trust with delegating to do certain tasks. It was a very elaborate to do list.

Sitting in the car with Arthur and Fred, a few sudden statements, or thoughts would pop out of each of them at different times. Reminders, something they wanted to check, another thing they wanted to double check with the Race Director. They were clearly all in the same track of thought. Working out possibilities for the rest of the day. Michael and Babington had gone in earlier with the mechanics, Sidney and James did not need to come in until later, and Tom had sent out a note early that morning as he was one of the first to head to the track. That had been something of a surprise, but Charlotte was glad to see that he was so focused. Even Arthur mentioned it with some surprise, but also a smile of relief. The Parkers hadn’t mentioned anything, but it seemed to Charlotte and Michael that they had all been a bit worried about him with the constant attention they were giving him. Especially Diana and Arthur.

Looking at the program of events, Charlotte had not realized how much pomp and circumstance was involved before the race even began. There was a Porsche series race, and couple other exhibition races. Then a parade of the drivers in open cars as they were driven around the track so the fans could see them all before the race as they waved back to the fans. A flyover from some military plane, the national anthem of Australia, a group photo of the drivers, and all of this before they ever got into the cars. The cars would be started for the race in their place on the starting grid on the track, which was another ring of the "circus" entirely. All the mechanics, some engineers, all the team principals, the drivers, their physios, a few on-track F1 designated reporters, camera men and women. Even some celebrities found their way down to the starting grid as the mechanics worked with portable equipment to start the engines, gauge the oil temperatures, keep the tyres warm, checking all of the specs and connections, all of it just like they would in the garage, but out in the open on the start finish straight. Once it was time, the Racing Director would call for them to clear the track, and the teams would funneling back into the pit lane like they were in a foot race. Once the the track was cleared, the drivers were signaled to start their single "out lap," and then reposition themselves in the starting grid painted onto the track. That part of the event she knew. She had watched it on the telly many times over the years. The reporters from different nations all trying to get one last quote or statement from the drivers, the team leaders, anyone of note just to help fill the airspace. She realized that she might be expected to be out there when the start up procedures were going on. In truth, she wanted to supervise as much as she could. Another truth was, as a private person, she did not want to be out on the track with the cameras having so much access.

“Arthur, do you have a minute?” Charlotte watched as Arthur removed his AirPods, he had been listening to music to try and stay focused.

“Of course, Charlotte.” He smiled as he answered. “Nervous?”

“Somewhat…” she hesitated. “There’s so much going on today, I just want to know what is expected of me. Where should I be and when? Other than the pit wall during the race, of course.” She added.

“Well, mostly you will be with me. Check on the cars and how they weathered the last qualifying stint. If there are any repairs to make, anything to report to scrutineering, do a test start to check the all the sensors, but other than that, we hope we don’t need to do more. Don’t want to get any penalties if we have to.” He smiled. “Then of course, all the flash and ceremony before the cars get wheeled out onto the starting grid, where we will all be of course. You and Michael, myself, the mechanics, Tom, and Babington.”

And that confirmed it, she really was going to have to strengthen her backbone to get through all of these situations on camera. It never really affected how she had thought about the job she had wanted for quite a few years. She had always gotten unwanted attention her entire life, she should have been used to it, but she had never enjoyed it. Getting accustomed to it, getting used to the intrusion and curiosity about her from others, had never been easy for her. This was on a much larger scale, and now she had something she wanted to keep private. She steeled herself for the day to come, and that didn’t even have to do with the race.

Arthur could see all of her gears working, the shifting changes in her eyes and her posture. “Charlotte, just do your job the way that you have been. Be yourself,” he added with a hand on her knee to try and quiet the whirring of the cogs in her head, before using both of his hands to emphasize his words as he spoke. “If someone wants to interview you, give them parameters. ‘One question,’ or ‘two questions,’ and end with ‘I have things to check.’ Give them a limit or they will try and latch on to you and follow you around, or ask questions on live television that you don’t want to answer. I hate to say it, but you are one of the few women out there and they will want to talk with you, especially once they find out how much you have contributed to the team.”

Fred tried to look like he wasn’t listening, but it was impossible to miss the conversation. He felt a little sympathy for the young woman, something that he had noticed was easier to tap into now that he was the father of a little girl himself. He shook his head, thinking of the pressure she was under. He was under enough pressure himself, but this wasn’t his first race. “If I may, Charlotte. Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. My wife, she’s a manager in one of the larger clothing shops near the beach. Always full of people in the summer. Anyway, we were talking about how some of the tourists come in and ask her all sorts of questions about the area, what to do, where to go, etc. She tries to help, but sometimes she repeats the same thing all day long. She was telling me once that her regional manager was in the store and had gotten the same treatment from the vacationers. The lady looked at them and smiled, then cheerfully told them she would love to be able to help, but that she was ‘needed elsewhere at the moment.’ That was it, so simple, and they took no offence from they way she said it before she walked away. My wife uses it all the time now.” He paused to look at them both, who looked a little stunned. Fred was always so quiet, usually letting others speak while he listened. He simply shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt to try,” he added with a shy smile.

“That’s a brilliant idea, Fred!” Arthur then looked back at Charlotte. “Easy enough for you to look sweet, and tell them you need to be somewhere else! What are they going to do, question whether or not you actually _do_ need to be somewhere else?”

“Thank you, Fred! I might have to try that if it gets to be too much.” She smiled at him, and he returned the gesture. She then thought that she probably should have talked with Clara, but she hadn’t even thought about it until this morning. She took a breath and slowly released it as the van they were riding in was approaching the gate to the track. They were here. Charlotte felt the unexpected gooseflesh pop up on her arms, and a streak of chills running down her back from the excitement. It was time.


	38. The Australian Grand Prix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some minor snafus over the past week to get this to you, but it's 14,500 words, so take your time! 
> 
> Since this is our first race together, and as many of you have not watched an F1 race, there is a fair amount of description. But I hope it is still entertaining and makes sense for you. 
> 
> Thank you for still hanging with my story. It is very appreciated! ❤️❤️❤️

Chapter 38

The Australian Grand Prix

It seemed like she had stepped into someone else’s life when Charlotte alighted from the van behind Fred and Arthur, placing her sunglasses securely over her eyes. The crowds along the fence of the dropping-off area were at least twice as big as yesterday’s crowd. Definitely more press, and someone, or at least one person, maybe more, was shouting out questions to both her and Arthur. Once they were in the confines of the paddock area, the photographers were still following them, and a few others had been waiting to take photos of the three of them as they walked to the control center. Arthur was jovial and spoke with them. He knew a couple of them by name, which helped Charlotte to relax a little. Once they had moved past the most crowded areas, she took a deep breath and removed her sunglasses. 

“Arthur, is it _always_ like that on race days?” She asked a little breathlessly since they had picked up the pace to get out of the path of the photogs, as they were still headed toward the control center.

“Umm… not usually that much attention, no. Must be due to how well we did yesterday. You alright?” He noticed she seemed a little flustered, and hoped that had more to do with how quickly they had walked.

“I think so.” She knew she didn’t sound convinced because she hadn’t even fooled herself.

“Let’s get ourselves to work, nothing like keeping busy to distract from all of this _madness_!” He added with a twinkle in his eyes and a light laugh.

“Thank you Arthur, you always know exactly what to say,” she was smiling and actually felt some of the tension leave.

The morning passed quickly, Clara found Charlotte early, and walked with her while going through the paddock to get some lunch. She spent most of the walk reminding any reporters that approached them to send her an email to request any interviews. Luckily, most of those had still been for James, and it appeared that Charlotte was still flying under the mass media radar… for now. Clara knew that it was only a matter of time before that changed, and more than likely, it would happen suddenly. An explosion of media attention and curiosity about her and her personal life. She would be doing her work, quietly staying out of the limelight, then everything would simply ignite. Either her abilities would do it, or she and Sidney would slip up, and the curiosity for who Sidney was not only dating but working with, would turn the spotlights on them once again. It was inevitable.

“Charlotte, let’s chat for a moment.” It was time to warn her, or was it? Now she was second guessing her timing. She and Sidney had advanced their relationship so quickly, it had taken even Clara by surprise. Maybe the start of the first race day was not the time. She had been able to pull her aside for a coffee after their lunch and before the car was released to them prior to the race. No, she decided to go with her gut and wait, but there was still plenty to discuss in the short time Charlotte could spare. “Did you get the chance to talk, you and Sidney?”

Charlotte hesitated and took a sip of the cappuccino Clara had brought over to the table for her. Licking the foam from her top lip she nodded, she dabbed her lip with the small napkin that had come with the drink, before she briefly looked up at Clara’s face. “Yes, we talked.”

Clara’s eye’s narrowed slightly and she dipped her head to look more closely at Charlotte, as she seemed to be avoiding eye contact. “What?” She asked directly, with the purpose of to getting her to talk. She wanted to be Charlotte’s friend as well as co-worker, but Charlotte had to share and to trust her in order for her to help, whether it was just as a co-worker, or also as a friend. After a long pause she repeated herself. “ _What_ , Charlotte?”

Charlotte took a deep breath and released it before she opened her mouth. “It started out fine, we decided to keep doing what we are already doing, in public…” She was still a little confused as to what had happened the night before, but it had all ended well… very well. She shook her head. “It’s just, it kind of went from a conversation to an argument. He seemed to think that there were lorries full of men out here, just waiting to ask me out!” She whispered the last part, but with emphasis so that Clara would understand how strange it all seemed.

“And you said…?” Clara knew that Sidney had baggage, but he did have a point, even if it had been exaggerated a bit.

“I laughed initially. It seemed preposterous to think that half the men out here,” and she gestured to the crowded paddock area with her eyes wide with disbelief, before she whispered again, “well, ‘fancy’ me. Or _would_ , eventually from what _he_ thinks.” She shook her head and took another sip of the hot liquid. Clara was still looking at her and waiting for her to continue. “He didn’t appreciate that, I’m afraid,” she added quietly.

“Hmm, no, I imagine he didn’t.” Clara looked around at the groups of people around them, and the small table where the two women were sitting had been getting some attention, but it could have been for either of them, or both of them together. Women in small groups always seemed to garner attention from the men in the paddock area. There weren’t that many, and Charlotte could have been considered “fresh meat” by some of the more usavory ones. “I mean, I understand his concerns, I certainly have gotten my fair share of dating opportunities since working here, but surely he trusts you?”

“And that’s what I told him.” She sat up a little straighter. “I can’t imagine it becoming an uncontrollable situation if it would happen that way, and I would say _no_ to them anyway!” She was very matter of fact, there was no deviation in how she felt about Sidney, and those feelings were only getting stronger, and also more confusing. It was like her mind went blank when they were intimate, only focusing on him, nothing else, and that had never happened for her before. It had essentially been impossible to quiet her mind like that for her entire life. With Sidney she felt safe, and at peace. It was both wonderful and frightening for her. Her voice became even softer than before, and her demeanor changed. Her vulnerability was evident as Clara watched a spectrum of emotions flash through Charlotte’s eyes. “I’ve been so happy with him.” She looked at her hands playing with the thick paper cup. “I don’t know what would make him think that I would do that, that I would _cheat_ on him, or just leave him for someone else. To _choose_ someone else…Its… our relationship is new, ok, so maybe that’s it, but I would hate to think that I have done anything that would make him doubt me _already_. I can’t think that I have, it’s only been a _week!_ ”

Clara looked at Charlotte with understanding mixed with a small piece of pity, but the pity wasn’t directed at her. It was for Sidney, and the position he was putting himself in _with_ Charlotte. She had heard of his disastrous engagement when he was just 22. “No one has told you about Eliza have they?” She stated it simply. Charlotte looked up from her cup, her brows questioning what Clara was talking about. “I can see that you haven’t heard this story yet.” Clara took a deep breath before she started, knowing she would have to give Charlotte the short version based on the limited amount of time they had. “Sidney was engaged once, a long time ago. He had just started racing in F1 for about a year. And she, Eliza, left him for a billionaire businessman that she knew through her father. I never met her, well-before my time at Parkers, but from what I heard through some of the gossip, she was beautiful, charming, rich, and had dated him for a couple of years before she left him. He was devastated, apparently.” She paused to let this sink in. Not that it ever took long for Charlotte to catch on to things. She watched as Charlotte blinked as she had listened.

“Well, billionaire or _not_ , she was a fool.” Charlotte said it with finality. No question in her mind that whoever this Eliza was, she had to have been motivated by money. She shook her head again. “I suppose I should be grateful to her, otherwise he might be a married man now, and I would never have had a chance with him,” she looked back down at the table, a small smile and a wistful look in her eyes.

Clara smiled at how Charlotte had turned it all into a positive situation. “Yes, that’s true. And you are _hardly_ the type of woman who would want to be a home-wrecker.” She added with her eyes wide and twinkling. Charlotte was a young woman of character. Taking another woman’s husband was not her style.

“ _Definitely_ not!” She added with a laugh. “I don’t think I have that ‘gene,’” and she laughed again before she attempted to finish her coffee, but her stomach couldn’t manage to drink it all. The nerves were upon her again as she waited for the time to return to the garage, and her gut was telling her to focus on something else now. “I think I’m done,” and she pushed the cup away from her just a little.

“But, last night… things ended ok, yes?” Clara was hesitant, but she needed to know that Charlotte was going to be alright today.

Charlotte nodded and swallowed. “Yes, yes, everything was ok. He was actually very apologetic for reacting the way he did. But after what you told me, I suppose I can understand why he had concerns.” She looked again at her hands where she was now twisting her tiny napkin around her fingers before looking back at Clara. “I’ve had my own challenges in relationships, so that I can understand.” She added quietly.

“Yes, we all have our baggage to carry-on with. I’m sure the more time you spend together, the more you will work through some of these things.” Clara reached her hand to hold Charlotte’s briefly with a squeeze, as she had noticed her fidgeting. It helped to get Charlotte to stop and look back up at her with a small half grin. “Now, Dr. Heywood! I believe I am keeping you from more important matters.” She smiled with her teasing reminder.

Charlotte’s eyes showed a ‘switch’ that flipped in her brain. “Yes! Right! Back to work.” She blinked and looked over to the garage. “I’ll see you after the race, then!” She stood, as her demeanor had changed again, her eyes were focused, her shoulders back, and she smiled quickly at Clara right before she turned, tossed her cup in a bin, and wove her way through the pedestrian traffic before jogging smoothly through the back door of the team’s garage.

***

The Heywood matriarch had barely slept from the day before, and then they all wanted to be up early again for the pre-race show and the race on StarTV. To tell the truth, Caroline Heywood had finally fallen asleep after midnight, which for her was late. When the alarm went off at 4:30 in the morning, she had already woken up twice before that. The show would start in a half hour and she wanted to get some of the breakfast ready so she wouldn’t have to leave the room while the race was running. _Something_ had helped Joseph to not only fall asleep before 10, he had slept soundly through the alarm, and Caroline was beginning to feel resentful toward him that he had found a level of peace long enough to sleep. All the while, she was worried about feeding the 8 of them, and feeling like her heart was somewhere in Australia instead of in Surrey.

“Get up Joseph… Joseph… get up.” She had leaned over him after she had found and put on her robe and slippers, and had already been pushing his shoulder and talking louder. Already she was making noise and turning on lights to help wake him. “Joseph… Joseph… **JOSEPH** , so **_help_** me, I will _not_ try and get you up again, and if you **_miss_** the pre-race, **_plus_** the first race for your two children that you’ve sent off into the **_lion’s den_** of Formula 1, ** _without us_** , I will not trouble myself one **_single_ **second that you’ve missed it!” 

Somewhere in the middle of her early morning lecture, he had sat up rubbing his eyes, but by the time he had been able to find his glasses and focus on their bedroom, she had already stalked off. He heard her light but quick steps on the stairs, and knew that he was on his own this morning to get himself up and ready. Not that he had needed too much help, but this was not a morning to ask for it, even if he thought he did.

***

About an hour away from Willingden, in the charming and well-preserved Georgian/Victorian seaside town of Sanditon, Mary Parker had risen early. She tip-toed past the three bedrooms down the hallway from her and Tom’s room. 5 am was too early to accidentally wake up her four children. Two years ago, an 8-year-old Alicia and a very young Jenny had been watching one of the European races live on the telly, when their uncle Sidney’s car crash into a wall going 170kmh. She hadn’t been in the room, as she was attending to one of Henry’s nappy changes, but the screams from Alicia could be heard through the house. Their nanny had reached the girls before Mary could, and when she finally got to the lounge, she saw the wreckage on the telly, the telltale team livery on the intact bits of the car, and Sidney’s car number. Her heart dropping, she tried to usher the girls out of the room now that they were both cryinguncontrollably, and Henry was also reacting to their terror despite being held tightly in his mother’s arms. It happened so fast, but waiting to hear him on the radio, and watching to see if he was moving or getting out of the car seemed to last an hour. It was probably less than a minute before both of those things happened. They heard his voice first, a couple words beeped out for the audiences at home, Babington talking back to check and make sure he was ok, then Sidney apologizing for putting the car in the wall to the team back in the garage. His arms lifted him out of the wreckage just as the track Marshalls had arrived to assist. He luckily hadn’t needed the medical car to come get him, but it had taken rounds of hot chocolate, biscuits, and a FaceTime call to Uncle Sidney once he was able, before they fully calmed down.

Never again. Mary would _never_ go through that **_ever_** again. If she could help it. She couldn’t control the races, but she could control the schedule of her household! At least this one was half a world away and 10 hours ahead. The race would almost be over before they got up from bed, and she would be able to monitor and watch the race ahead from her phone or tablet, preempting any events that could be upsetting for them. Now that they were older, they worried about a lot of the drivers after having met quite a few of them. Especially the two older ones. Henry was still too young, but Alicia had not forgotten watching that horrible rainy day in Belgium. She had needed to see a counselor for several visits to help manage the trauma, and Uncle Sidney had spent every night helping her to fall asleep by reading her bedtime stories to her for over a week, and promising to call her after every race for the rest of that season. Jenny being younger, and more practical had seen Uncle Sidney get out of the car and survive the crash. She assumed that it was how all crashes went. Alicia being a little older, and a little more sensitive, had seen it differently.

Instead, the races were recorded and played back later. It had helped with keeping their schedule more regular and consistent. Plus, it allowed for church on most Sundays with race-watching afterward, but when Mary had seen the dark clouds over the ocean from the window of her bedroom that morning, and checked the forecast, she decided she wasn’t up for wellies, raincoats, and umbrellas for the short walk to the C of Echurch just a few blocks away. Even she had her limits. No, after the success of the day before, she had already decided it would be crepes and strawberries for breakfast, and a quiet day at home to watch and pray for safety in the race, instead of at the church service. Tom had been so worried, so nervous about having made a mistake, and it looked like all of those concerns were for naught. At least she hoped so. It had taken so long to get him to open up about the things that were troubling him lately, and even then she was sure that he hadn’t told her everything. She turned on the telly, as she made a pot of coffee. Between her and the nanny, they would drink all of it. It was already 5:30. Only 30 more minutes before the race began.

***

The morning in Melbourne had been sunny, and almost summer-like. The afternoon still kept the sun high as well as the temperatures, for an autumn day. The meteorologists were in constant contact with the engineers, keeping them informed if any of the clouds on the radar would interfere during the race. It looked like it might be a close call toward the end of the race, but all they could do was monitor it and hope for clearer skies. Charlotte had been with Arthur as the mechanics had been checking all of the components on both cars. The limitations on what they could do with the cars were tight, in order to keep with all of the rules and regulations. The more Charlotte and Arthur went over their check lists, the more it seemed to be going too smoothly. Arthur had stayed focused, kept checking with Fred, the race engineers had been consulting with the strategists in the control centers and the drivers were doing their typical pre-race warm ups.

Diana had been able to keep Sidney focused and working through his usual routine, which was better than she had hoped for. They never talked about the race, or strategy, or anything to do with the cars or the mechanics or the engineers. It was always about his physical and mental fitness. What did he need? What would he like to do, not do, before the race? She was there to make sure he was as ready as he could be. Challenge him a little if he needed it, calm him instead, if that was needed. She always had his equipment at the ready. She had his drinks when he needed them, held on to his phone, small towels for sweat or rain, resistance bands for strengthening and stretching exercises, all packed in a team backpack that never left her side. When they would head toward the garage and the track, she would keep his gloves, and hold onto his helmet which also held his earpiece and balaclava. Soon the photos and events would start. They had already done the quick drivers parade, now it was only the ceremonial activities and then the start prep. This race felt different. The pressure was thick with how well they had done in qualifying. The photogs, and StarTV and F1 cameras and reporters were following them more than usual through the paddock, and had been waiting for them at the gate and also outside his driver’s room. She kept checking on him and with him, and it looked like he was managing the intensity of the higher expectations well. He always had a way of blocking out distractions and the parts of the ‘circus’ that had a way of insinuating into the thoughts and private lives of the main players. The center ‘ring’ of the circus was the track, and somehow Sidney always managed to focus on just that on race days.

Diana wished she’d had more of that focus. She had always tended toward multi-tasking, which when managing a complicated car was an advantage. But outside of a car it was a distinct disadvantage. Sidney had been able to mentally accomplish both, as well as the physical rigors of the sport. She held on to his equipment as she watched him line up for the driver’s photo, and stand on the start/finish straight for the anthem, announcements and all the other ceremonial activities before he and James waved to the crowds and walked back to the pit lane with the other drivers and dignitaries.

The final touches were completed, the cars were now being wheeled out on dollies onto the track and their grid positions. The teams of mechanics jogged behind their cars with their trollies and the oil heater still attached to the engine. Once in place, they could check some of the sensors and connections on the cars once again. The car was already loaded with the fuel measured out for the length of the race and the engine settings, with just enough extra fuel to spare for a couple slower laps. Charlotte, Arthur, Michael, Babington, Tom, and several of the other engineers had followed. The drivers were out there not long afterward, checking on the cars themselves, answering questions for the F1 cameras, and for several other reporters who had access. There were a couple Australian celebrities who had flocked more to Dan and his team than the others. The weather was holding, the atmosphere was tense with anticipation and adrenaline as everyone was anxious for the race to start.

Charlotte watched as the race engineers had been talking strategy again with their drivers. From looking down the grid, she could see other drivers doing the same. All focused, all serious and centering their thoughts on the race. Some were sitting in the grass with their heads down, quietly looking away from the grid. Some were telling jokes, niceties and teasings, and even a few “good luck” comments between drivers and team leaders as they were all packed like sardines against their cars on the grid. Simultaneously trying to prep everything, and hide anything on their cars that might be of interest to their competitors as they stood closer to all the cars than usual.

“Charlotte.” She looked over her shoulder to see Lewis smiling while standing next to his car in its second place spot on the grid. Which, like all the other grid spots, was staggered behind the one in front of them, but on the opposite side of the track. With Sidney in first, and James in the third spot, it actually put James behind Sidney’s car, but also staggered behind where Lewis’ car was on the other side of the track in second.

She turned and gave him a small smile, after all, he had only ever been kind and polite with her. “Hello Lewis, safe travels today,” she spoke to him before smiling again. She noticed that they were getting some attention from his team, mostly from a couple of the engineers that she had recognized from seeing them on the race coverage on the telly over the years. Now they were looking at her and appeared to be sizing her up. They must have heard something about her from someone. At least they knew who she was, but she hadn’t met them before.

“Thanks,” he smiled back and nodded toward the two cars behind her. “For you guys too,” and then he turned to his own Physio, Angela, who was holding his helmet and all his other gear to get ready for the race, just as Diana had been doing while she stayed next to Sidney.

She had turned to look at Sidney, Diana was handing him his balaclava after he had finished putting in his earpiece. She was holding on to his helmet still. Charlotte was looking at him, but her body and her head were facing the space between the two cars. In this position she allowed herself to watch him. To watch his movements, to see how he went through his pre-race routine. To see how Diana approached him, and also how she didn’t. It was a balancing act that the two of them had perfected on the high-wire for many years. A mental short hand, a gesture here or there that asked and then answered a question. She couldn’t help but grin slightly at their closeness. He must have felt her looking at him and turned slowly to look at her. As much as her body was not pointed toward him, it wasn’t lost on him that her eyes were tracking him. She lowered the lenses on her sunglasses so that he would know without question that she was looking and thinking of him before she smiled just slightly.

He had kept his expression straight despite looking at her directly. He took his helmet from Diana’s hands without dropping his gaze. He braced it between his hands to press it onto his head, but just before he tilted his head to push the specially molded safety device over his face, he paused. A millisecond, nothing more, and just before his face disappeared behind the cover of his helmet, he gave her a smaller version of his half smile, and a flash of a wink. Once his head had been squeezed inside, the visor was still up and she caught one more glimpse of a smile before he turned to talk to his crew one more time before climbing inside his car.

She never wanted to think of the dangerous side of racing. So many improvements had been made in the pasttwo decades to make things safer. She had to trust in abilities, and the competency of their crew. With her sunglasses on, it was easier to keep an eye on what Sidney was doing, as well as how both the cars looked. The television cameras were everywhere it seemed, and she had seen Tom being interviewed by one of the top pit lane reporters, as well as another former driver who now worked in the media. They had attempted to get closer to the cars, but the mechanics and engineers would maneuver themselves in front of the curious lenses on the cameras to block their shots. But Parkers weren’t the only team that wanted to keep their specifics and designs to themselves. It seemed like the entire grid was walking that thin line of publicity, and proprietary information. Balancing between sharing enough to remain relevant with the press, the fans and sponsors, and also hiding enough to keep their competitors guessing.

***

“Mama! You’re _missing_ it!” Alison had had it with her mother finding every excuse to not sit still during the pre-race show, but they were on the grid straight, showing all of the cars and the teams, and they had already gotten a few glimpses of the Parker Team at the front of the pack. “Really, are you planning on spending the next _two hours_ hiding in the kitchen?!” Alison had earned a chuckle from her father who then promptly cleared his throat to cover it when his wife immediately came back into the room.

“Alison, I’m just trying to get some things finished so I’m not doing them later,” she lied, but it was mostly to herself. She did not want to admit how antsy she was feeling. She looked up at the telly to see a rather tall man with reddish sandy blonde hair talking to a reporter with his Parker Racing shirt on. The room went quiet as they listened to him answering a couple questions, smiling broadly and remaining jovial all the while, then giving a small salut to the camera lens before walking away.

“Is he _really_ like that?” Alison asked before she mumbled loud enough for her mother to hear, “he doesn’t look _anything_ like his brother.” Disappointedly dismissive, she reached for her tea on the table when Timothy walked in from the courtyard. “You’re _late_ ,” she pointed out to him.

“I _know_ ,” he repeated to her in the same tone she had delivered her statement to him. “Sorry, Mum. Went for a run early and got caught in the rain. It was slow getting back with the mud on the trail.” Timothy leaned in to give his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. He knew that she had to be stressed, and it showed in the dark circles under her eyes, and the vertical lines between her eyebrows. He grabbed an apple from the kitchen and returned quickly as he was taking a large bite.

“There’s coffee, and we can always make some fresh tea,” his mother told him. She was about to get back up from her chair, where she had just sat down.

“Mama, don’t you dare!” Alison scolded her. “I’ll make more if we need more.”

“Mum, don’t worry, I’m fine. Made some tea when I got back to the cottage. Sit down.” Timothy smiled and reassured her so she would try and stay put. “Are the ‘littles’ up?” He asked the room.

He heard a low grunt from his father. “No, still sleeping with the rain coming down I suppose.” Joseph had kept his eyes from the distractions all around him. His favorite Welsh Springer Spaniel, Osi, curled over his feet, and the fireplace starting to die-out next to him.

Timothy walked over and stoked the fire, rearranging the logs that were still burning, before he placed a few more of the split logs in the grate. Walking over to the sofa he shoved Alison’s feet off of one of the cushions and out of his way, so he had room to sit down while she scowled at him. As soon as he hit the sofa, Alison jumped in her seat.

“Oh! There she is!” They all turned to the screen to see Charlotte looking calm and concentrating on the grid. The cameras had caught her short conversation with Lewis as the cameras had been keeping track of him. Alison’s mouth hung open. “Look at that! Like they’re besties or something!”

“Please, Alison! Of _course_ she’s meeting all of these people as they’re working.” Joseph shook his head at how loud his second daughter was being in all her teenage fangirl glory.

“Oh _please_ , Papa, you’ve been Lewis’ fan since he was still Karting. Aren’t you the _least_ bit excited by that?” Alison emphasized.

Very calmly he responded. “Alison, when we joined with Parker Racing, it was inevitable that we would run into and meet these people,” and he gestured to the TV on the wall. “I would be surprised if she and Michael _hadn’t_ met him, already.” He added his voice dipping to show that it was not as much of an interest to him as it was to her. In reality, he was a little tickled that his daughter was working in this industry, and apparently making a name for herself already. He only hoped it had more to do with her work, and less to do with her looks. No father wants to think of his daughter in the way that other men will. It did not help that she was already dating one of these drivers. No doubt if things went wrong there, someone else would be waiting to pick up the pieces, and that did not bring him any comfort. Hopefully not Lewis, he thought. He’s 36! Much too old for her! But it did not reassure him. It only strengthened his resolve to get better, follow his doctors’ instructions, do whatever Diana told him to do, and get well so he could be working at her and Michael’s side.

He grumbled again, as he saw the cameras on Sidney as he was getting ready. Diana was there, and he softened slightly. He really liked Diana. She was serious, and tough, didn’t take no for an answer, and didn’t mince words, all which he found refreshing, especially during this illness. The camera caught Sidney as he was putting on his helmet. It was clear that he had smiled, and winked at someone, but it wasn’t clear who he had been looking at. Charlotte was not in the camera shot, but honestly, it could have been taken as him doing it for the camera. Plus, he had turned so quickly to work with his crew, his face had disappeared from sight as soon as it had happened. The room was quiet. Everyone had seen it, but no one wanted to bring it up. Only Alison’s Cheshire grin acknowledged that it had happened.

***

_“Welcome to the Australian Grand Prix! The first race of the season! Well, Richard, here we are! The long awaited opening race. If you missed qualifying yesterday, then you missed the almost Lazarus-like rise of one of the last family-owned teams in F1! Parker Racing, taking the battle to the big guns and snatching pole position from reigning world champions Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. Truly an_ **_epic_ ** _opening for this race weekend.”_

_“Yes, Gerald, epic and a long time coming! BUT nothing counts until after the 58th lap of this race today! Only time will tell if the changes at Parker Racing, now joined with the smaller engineering and design team of Heywood Racing, will have consistency and reliability along with the speed they have displayed over the past two days. Can’t forget how well they’ve done during the practice sessions, but as well_ **_all_ ** _know, anything can happen during a race!”_

_“Very true, Richard!”_

The cameras were no longer on the commentators and instead had taken to showing only the track and pit lane coverage. The start/finish lane was being transmitted across the globe, as the 30 second warning to clear the track of all personnel was called. All the engines had been started, oil heaters disconnected, the guests and reporters had been long gone. Team leaders, engineers and support staff had also moved to the sides of the track. Only the mechanics had remained with their cars. Lastly, the tyre warmers were removed, and the jack-men dropped each of their cars onto the track just before those mechanics themselves started running off the track to clear it. The “formation lap” was first, it put some heat in the tyres, it put some heat in the engines and brakes. One lap at a relatively slow speed, led by the safety car driven by the Race Director, then the cars would quickly line-up once again in their painted starting boxes on the grid.

_“Yes, as you can see we are getting ready to start, one short formation lap, and the F1 season will officially begin!!”_

The pit wall personnel for all the teams were settled, headsets and battery packs had already been on before the pre race show had started being televised. Charlotte could hear Fred sending out reminders to the mechanics regarding pit stops. Babington and Michael were sending last minute metrics for their drivers to check, radio transmissions tested, sensors checked, and then radio silence for the drivers to focus. In the cars, the drivers were mentally preparing, focused on their machines, the heat of their brakes, their tyres, their engines. Meeting the heat threshold to maintain grip and the ability to stop with the tyres and brakes. Keeping the engine within the heat threshold so that they didn’t overheat, or cool down too much. Weaving the cars back and forth on the track, getting the friction to heat the tyres, braking to get heat into the brake pads so that they would work, but staying in their qualifying spot in line. Sometimes they would bunch up and annoy the cars behind them, or not keep up with the car in front of them so that they had a longer time get that heat from the track into their cars. The engineers here in Melbourne, and back home in Sanditon were watching every aspect of the cars, reading all of the telemetry checking every sensor reading before the race even began.

One lap and they were finished. 1 through 20, they lined up in their spots, taking up both sides of the track. The safety car no longer in front. The start for those in the front of the grid feels like it takes an eternity, as the rest of the cars line up behind them. For the drivers, the start is all in the reflexes, as well as the driver’s understanding of his car. His gear box, the engines settings, when to shift, when to use the launch button on his steering wheel to give the turbo a boost. It is a practiced art that can be bogged down by the slip of a thumb in a leather driving glove, or a millisecond of a mistimed clutch release. But these drivers are the best of the best, and “bad” or slow starts are rare. Still, nerves, emotions, distractions, a new adjustment to the car, so many things can interrupt the process of launching a car from zero to 160 kph and brake back down to zero, all in less than 5 seconds flat.

There is no starting gun, the drivers would never hear one over the engines anyway. No flag to start the race. A green flag was waved over the track, but that wasn’t what the drivers were looking toward to signal the start. Instead, a set of horizontal traffic-style lights were braced on a high scaffold that stretched over and above the track. All within the line of sight of all twenty drivers on the grid. 5 lights, straight across, flashing on all at once when all the cars were in place, and then off again to signal to prepare. The lights were the countdown, turning back on one at a time, from right to left until they were all lit again. The engines revving as the drivers’ adrenaline pumped as fast through their bodies, as the fuel through the cylinders. All red lights. Each one counting for one second.

One light, two, three, four, five… Then all 5 lights extinguish at once. The final signal to “GO.”

Charlotte watched with Fred and Arthur on the screen in front of them that carried the live feed. It was on a slight delay, which Charlotte found extremely frustrating. But it was the only way to see what was going on, on the track. So they would hear or feel, rumbles from the track on the other side of the low concrete wall in front of them before they would see what was happening from the cameras.

_“And the lights are out at Albert Park!! Parker had a quick start, and is still leading as we go into turns one and two! Lewis, right behind him, with his teammate Virtannen looking to get ahead of the rookie Stringer in the other Parker car!”_

Charlotte followed the words of the announcers along with listening to the open team radios that all the teams could hear. Code names and words were used for everything to keep the competition in the dark as much as possible. Between the information coming back from the sensors on both cars, and the visual feedback from the live feed, she was able to figure out what happened where and when on with cars. The start had been good for the cars near the front. Once the lights had gone out, the cars further back had started to weave in and out trying to avoid a slow starter in front of them, or simply to get to a clearer spot on the track. They were all now fighting for better positions on the track. Fighting to get in a better position for the next turn, the next curve, avoid another driver, settle some long held resentments, or avoid those beefs by simply getting out in front of the pack.

One of the trickiest turns that could cause problems for the closely bunched up cars, was the 6th turn. With their backs to the sun, and the overhang of trees shading the circuit, it was difficult to judge the apex, or top, of the turn and where to brake. But it was the fast turn at the 5th, which sent many a driver off the track. Braking too late, taking a bad line, getting shoved out or shut out by another car. Or getting through, only to be in a bad driving line getting into the uncertain stopping point in the shade needed with turn 6. With Sidney clear of the pack, he had “clean” air in front of him as he had no other cars to cause turbulence over the front wings of his car. Driving at the head of the race, the car was responding perfectly, and he had his pick of how to take each of the 16 turns on the track. James had lost a place during the start to the Mercedes that had qualified behind him. He had recovered mentally and had hung on well, and now was pressuring the Finnish driver, Virtannen who was in front of him. Virtannen was chasing down his teammate, Lewis, still in second. The first lap was tight, too soon to build much of a gap between cars, so the top four drivers kept pressing and pushing to try and pass the car in front, and also to put distance to the cars behind them. It didn’t matter if the car in front was your teammate, and Virtannen was living up to his steely disposition as he put pressure on Lewis in front of him. James was chasing them both, and the top four cars had already created a gap from the group of cars behind them.

Charlotte saw Arthur wince as two cars further back in the pack had made contact and ricocheted off one another, running two other cars off the track. Two of them were salvageable and made it back onto the track, while the other two were out for good for the rest of the race. No drivers appeared to be injured, but at the speeds they travel, it always hurt when they hit another car or a wall or barrier hard. Plus once the cars start sliding, the driver becomes a passenger with no control of the steering. Before they were half-way through the first lap, they had gotten the warning of the yellow flag to slow down in the first sector, but the rest of the track was open for racing and passing. Cranes reached over the barrier walls to lift up the wreckages, and the track Marshalls worked to clear debris from the run-off area that the two cars had slid into. It was lucky that not much had been left on the track.

Charlotte heard the warnings go out to their drivers to watch their speed once they came back around and not to pass. Fred was watching for any violations not only from their team, but from other teams as well, in case they thought they might need to lodge a complaint. Other than that crash, the rest of the first several laps and gone well. The wreckage had been cleared, and now green flags for open racing were waved by the Marshalls. Looking at the graphs coming in from her two drivers, there were places where both of them could shave some time, but they also had to manage the tyres and try to create enough of a time gap to have their pit stops and still remain in their positions, or try to use different strategies to get in front of another driver, which is what they were working on for James. His strategy had to be different from Sidney’s. Sidney needed to not make a mistake, the engineers and strategists needed to not make a mistake, and the pit crew needed to make clean pit stops, all of it working together to keep him in first place all the way to the checkered flag.

Lap after lap, Charlotte and Arthur kept in communication with the engineers who were working on different scenarios. Many decisions had to be made on the fly with what was happening in the race, and with following the performances of the cars. Charlotte’s eyes darted between the live feed, the sawtooth graphs, the sensor information, the tyre wear information from the engineers who were monitoring that, and listening to the team radio, and doing all of that for both cars and drivers at once. It was exhilarating, and also mentally draining. The pressure on the team was palpable. If anyone made a mistake, anyone, everyone would know what it was, and who had made it. Reporters would pounce on it, it would make headlines on digital news sites across the globe.

F1, in its purest sense, is about reaching for perfection for both man and machine. The only thing that prevents it, is the human variable. The natural tendency for homo sapiens to err. The mistakes were inevitable, the key was to learn from them, and to make changes. But the tendency for failure would still remain firmly intact, waiting and lurking for another opportunity to rise up. The only way to manage the disappointment was to turn it into a “teachable moment,” and try to move on.

Charlotte knew all of this, their team, and every other team knew this, but it did not make the knowing of its inevitability, easier to swallow. No one was immune from it. Biting her lower lip, she scanned the screens in front of her. Watching as Sidney had already been able to create a 10 second gap between himself and Lewis. Virtannen was another 4 seconds behind Lewis, with James right at his back going between 1.5 and .5 seconds off Virtannen’s pace. Sidney needed to work toward making that gap as wide as possible before “boxing” for new tyres. Charlotte looked over the data, both drivers’ strategies running through her mind as the laps slowly added up. It would be time soon to pit the drivers, but which strategy to follow? She removed her right ear cover of her headphones, and tapped Arthur on the arm, pointing to her headset, and he removed the ear covering on his left ear.

“I should have thought of that earlier, then we could have been able to talk better.” Charlotte said.

“Yes, but we’re so close to the track, you want to protect your ears from the decibels as much as possible, Charlotte.” He replied with a straight smile.

She could see that his mind was working on the same problems that she was, and had been talking with the strategists. “What say the engineers? We are on lap 20 with those soft tyres, the times are slowing with each lap, and they can’t last much longer.”

Arthur pursed his lips as his eyes kept retreating to the wall of graphs and information in front of them. “What I’m thinking is a little unorthodox, Charlotte.” He paused before looking back at her. “Sidney is holding that 10 second gap well, but any reason for a safety car, and that gap is gone. James is holding up with Virtannen, but we’ve seen how he does with those tyres, and the data is showing the degradation, and here…” He pointed to he live feed. “They’re even talking about them on the telly. Usually, the driver in the lead with the team gets the first pit stop, but I don’t think we can wait any longer on James.” He looked to see Charlotte processing the information, which tyres to change to to last through the rest of the race. “I say we bring him in earlier, and put him on the hard tyres, I know it’s not ideal, but we with 38 more laps to go, it’s a stretch for the medium tyres we wanted to use.”

Charlotte nodded, “Talk to Michael, but do it quickly, his window to box is coming up fast.” Charlotte had seen him on the track map. One of the blue dots for Parker Racing, moving toward the end of sector one. He would need the warning so that he could push whatever he could out of the tyres he was on to get his lap time as low as possible. Attempting to close the gap to Virtannen in front of him. Every tenth of a second counted. She watched as Arthur leaned over toward Michael, and consulted with more of the strategy engineers through his radio. Michael nodded.

“Ok James, box this lap.”

“This lap?” James did not sound convinced.

“Confirm, box this lap.” Michael repeated calmly.

“Copy,” was the simple answer he received in return.

Fred had sent the warning to the pit crew waiting on their folding chairs in the garage and watching the race on the wide screen that was flat against the wall in front of them. 13 of them already waiting in their fireproof overalls, with their helmets securely upon their heads. Gloves already on, the only thing they had to think about was getting the equipment prepped and the new tyres ready, before they dropped the visors on their protective headgear, shielding their eyes.

Several drivers had already been in to pit in order to change tyres during the race, and the loud beeping warning of a car in the pit lane had already gone off several times during the race. Cars coming in to fix tyre punctures and even one who had to replace his front wing assembly from the earlier accident. This time when the bell warning came on, the already heightened senses from their adrenaline put the pit crew into an even higher gear. Their pulses increased. Some of them doubling their resting heart rates due to the fight or flight reactions their bodies were telling them to make. This was a crew of men that the word “flight” need not apply to itself. “Fight” was the order of the job, and it was in that order that they performed their task.

Arthur and Charlotte turned round, then Michael, once they heard the warning bell in the pit lane. All anxious for everyone involved in this essential task that had to be executed with devastating speed. Charlotte noticed Arthur had a stop watch, which she hadn’t noticed him with before. Then looking up the lane toward the entrance from the track, she saw James traveling at the designated pit lane speed limit of 60kph, easily achieved with a button on the steering wheel. Biting her lip, she was thinking both about his inexperience with the task, and also about how he hadn’t let the Heywoods down once.

Despite this being his first in-race, Formula 1 pit stop, James turned the car exactly, and the car was perfectly placed under their pneumatic over-head, and right in front of flag being held by the flag man who would only pull it up for the driver when he was released back out onto the pit lane. Simultaneously, the front and rear jack-men lifted the car. Three grown men were crouched and poised at each of the four corners of the car to change the four tyres. Four men on the wheel guns to remove the hefty, searing-hot single wheel nut on each of the tyres, with the wheel gun locking the nut into the mechanism. One crewman at each of the four stations removed the old tyre, while another replaced it with the new tyre, exceedingly hot and fresh from its heating blanket. The pneumatic wheel-gun now programmed to tighten the nut instead of loosening it, was activated again by the mechanic wielding the wheel gun, and pressed and locked the new tyre into place. When the pit stop is as good as it can be, you don’t hear the separate guns activating separately. To be the most efficient, the guns would all go off at once, exactly after the stopping and lifting of the car to combine into one single sound. One loud whirring of the drill-like mechanisms. A chorus of combined choreography that accomplished the same task four times over, but exactly at the same time. Repeating the chorus once more when the new wheels were attached. Three men at each tyre, 2 jack-men, the signal monitor, and the final mechanic making the judgement on the safety of the release of the car back into the pit lane. It was a dance, a rhythm, a puzzle that had to be solved with immediacy. One man from each of the 4 stations had to signal before the jack-men could lower the car, and the man who held the flag in front of the driver only lifted, when the last crewman signaled that the pit lane was clear. All of it needed to be accomplished in as close to 2 seconds as humanly possible, or less.

Arthur had been holding his stop watch, as were two of the engineers in the garage. As soon as the new tyres screeched back on to the pit lane, Arthur spoke. “I got 2.85,” he announced over the headsets. Then they heard, “2.92” from once voice, and then “3.1” from the other. Arthur groaned quietly. “Check the film. We need to know the exact number.” The first engineer who had responded replied, “on it.” He looked at Charlotte next to him. “It better not have been 3.1, or higher. That’s _a near disaster_ ,” he said now that his mic was turned off. Shaking his head, “We need to get down to 2.4 or 2.5 at _least_ ,” he emphasized. Turning his chair back to the wall of screens in front of him he muttered, “I suppose it could have been worse, but we need to work on getting a better ‘base’ time. That way when we have a slow stop, or a sticky wheel gun, we are working up from a better time than whatever _that_ just was.” He shook his head again.

Charlotte understood what he meant. Tenths of a second could determine if you held your place on the track when you came out of the pit lane, or gained or lost a place, or _more_. Pit stops were never easy, were never completely clean, and also never without their risks. They had also been responsible for more than one lost race in the history of F1. Practicing with the crew was the only factor they could work on, besides the equipment. Thinking of Timothy, she looked over her shoulder to see how the crew was handling it. It had been a decent stop, and for the first one of the season, there must have been some nerves involved as well. “Don’t worry too much Arthur, that’s something we can still work on. Timothy might be able to help, maybe even with some help from Diana if they need it.” That is, if the Heywood family could spare him from home for a bit.

Arthur grinned a little wider at those words. “Yes, of course, your great big tree-trunk of a brother! I forgot he helped with the crew from your team from last year.”

“Now, of course, it’s nothing like _this_.” Charlotte was looking at the screens again, still with one headphone off of her ear. Calculating where Sidney might be able to make his stop, and talking with Arthur at the same time. “But he is very observant, and intuitive with these sorts of things. Much better than me… I think it was all the rugby he played in school, team work and all that…” Her words trailed off as she watched the laps times of each car on the track, and how they performed in the different sectors.

Sidney had still been increasing his gap from the rest of the field, now almost 15 seconds of a gap to the next car behind him. James, now on fresh tyres was getting them heated up to start passing some of the slower cars that were now in front of him due to his time in the pit lane. Sooner or later, every car had to pit at least once, so the ones that hadn’t would end up with close to the same amount of time off the track as he had before they returned to the race. But that was no reason to take it easy. Now was the time to keep pushing and find some grip to not let the slower cars drag him down in his lap times, and to avoid getting stuck in the traffic. 

Charlotte was watching the data, seeing where Sidney’s tyres were wearing, they could see how much force and wear each tyre was taking from the sensors on the car. The front right looked to be close to reaching the end of its lifespan. As she watched his times stay consistent, but not get faster, she nudged at Arthur. “You’re seeing this aren’t you? Why am I the first one to bring this up?” Charlotte was getting a little panicked at the data in front of her.

“Sidney usually calls for his pit stops, Charlotte. He has for years unless something comes up like a safety car that slows everyone down, or a puncture that we notice before he does.” He answered.

It wasn’t unheard of, some drivers simply had a better feel for the tyres and how the car was handling with them. Charlotte could think of at least 4 drivers in the past couple decades who had regularly refused to box when told to. Sometimes viewers at home would get to hear the radio transmissions where the driver would refuse to come in, or argue and question the reasons behind a tyre change. Most drivers wanted to push as hard as they could, peel every layer of rubber off the tyre until it was nearing the point of shredding, so that the next set would have less laps and a longer life for the end of the race. It could all be balanced by a technical driver, understanding the loads and making the tyres last longer than most of the drivers would be able to. Sidney was one of those drivers. Watching his brake bias, watching the kerbs, managing the balance of the forces on the car against the tarmac. Yes, he was one of the exceptional ones, but as Charlotte was watching the data, watching the times, and watching the visuals on the tyres she got from the television feed, she started biting her lower lip again.

“Arthur,” she added urgently. “I’m not sure I agree with this plan…” But as soon as she had spoken her concerns, Sidney’s voice came over the radio.

“Time to box, Babers.” Were his simple instructions.

“Confirm, box next lap.” George gave the signal to Fred who then gave the radio “box” warning to the pit crew, who immediately moved to prepare and wait in position once again.

Charlotte’s breathing started to relax until she remembered that Sidney still had to complete the pit stop. Watching the feed and telemetry data from his last lap before the stop, and how it had pushed Sidney to tackle the apex of the corners with an almost angry fervor to get as much out of the last bit of his tyres as he could get. Just as James’ pit stop had taken the attention of the pit wall, Sidney’s did as well.

Charlotte could feel the pit wall collectively hold their breath as they turned to watch the crew as they moved into place. The nerves of the first stop of the year, had been replaced with the nerves of replacing the tyres of the driver leading the race! 16 men, all poised and in place, tyres ready as the pit traffic warning bell was going off. They could see that Lewis was following him into the pit lane at the other end. No doubt hoping that the Mercedes pit stop would be faster than Sidney’s. The 16 seconds he had gained on the track was the head start the team had, but seconds could dwindle quickly if there was a mistake. Sidney dove the car into the spot, and this time, the wheel guns _did_ go off and on with the precision they practiced for. This pit stop was even faster at 2.5, according to Arthur’s stop watch. The commentators had taken notice, and the feed from the television confirmed it. 2.52. Not bad, but not in the upper levels of pit stops either, but certainly enough to retain the lead as he was released back onto the pit lane a full 14 seconds before Lewis followed him back onto the track.

The fresh tyres needed warming up, but with the lighter fuel load, Sidney tore through the first half of the lap at a good pace. Reheating the brakes in the turns and using the speed of the car to push heat further into the tyres giving them the grip they needed to keep his lead and push to increase it at the same time. Other drivers had followed the lead of the top two drivers and descended one after another to replace their tyres. With James’ early stop, he had used the fresh tyres to his advantage once they had warmed up. Passing the slower cars, and getting within distance of the leaders again. More cars left the track in front of him to get their pit stops in, and with Virtannen in the pit lane, James had pushed the car hard and had taken the number 3 spot on the track from him. Now it was Sidney, Lewis, and James in the podium positions.

Sidney held on to his lead, and kept pushing to make sure it was stretching more and more from the field behind him. Lap after lap, and now only 10 more to go. They were quickly coming up on the back markers of the race, the cars at the back of the field who are instructed to move over to let those in the lead through. Easy enough in theory, but these are drivers who are still racing their own race, whether they were fighting for the top 10 or not. Blue flags on the side of the track from the Marshalls signaled for them to move over, as well as reminders from their teams on the radios. A violation would also mean a rules violation and they could be penalized for impeding the race.

The Heywoods in Willingden had cheered as the Parker Team had kept the lead, and when James managed the over-cut, by passing Virtannen while he was in the pit lane, Joseph Heywood leapt up from his chair, almost sending his sweet Osi flying. Instead he got a small bark and whine in return. Mr. Heywood hadn’t moved like that in months, and the loyal animal had gotten used to the more sedentary life-style they had adopted of late. Turning in circles several times, he finally settled back down at his master’s feet. For Joseph, this meant that they might have a double podium finish, and with his young driver holding his own, he was quite proud. He looked over at his wife. Joseph had seen her through the race with her hands and fingers near her mouth, holding her cheeks, covering her mouth through the more suspenseful parts, and occasionally biting at one of her nails. Right now, she had pushed herself so that she was barely sitting on the edge of her well-worn chair. Alison was by far the most vocal, and had even used a few swear words in front of her parents, and in their house no less, but no one corrected her or seemed to notice. While Timothy had been slowly pacing up and down the space behind the sofa where Alison was still sitting. Everyone was trying to cope with the stress and excitement in their own ways.

With 5 laps to go, Arthur had grabbed Charlotte’s hand and was holding onto it tightly. She would not have been able to free herself even if she wanted to. She appreciated that Arthur was as nervous as she was, and was grateful for his grounding presence. The two race engineers were remaining calm, but Charlotte had noticed Michael’s knee jumping up and down as he fidgeted with nervous energy. His voice to James on the radio was cool and collected. Keeping him informed of the gap to Virtannen behind him, and the gap to Lewis in front of him. Babington was more reserved in how he held himself. He knew that the last time Sidney had led a race from start to finish was in F2, more than 8 years ago. Maybe it was 9, at this point those weren’t the details he was focused on. Sensor feedback on the car, any traffic ahead from more of the back-markers, that was what he was watching. He knew the gap from Lewis was too big for him to overcome, it was all down to Sidney’s nerves, his driving, and keeping his car on the track for the next 4 laps now. The clouds had avoided them, the pit stops had been good, the tyres had held, and the car had been smooth and stable as well as quick. It was all down to the drivers and their ability to focus all the way to the end. All they and the crew could do was watch and maybe hold their breath.

Diana was watching in the garage with the mechanics and engineers. Some had even come out of the control center as there was little that they could contribute now, and they could monitor from the island in the garage if need be. The mechanics had been standing from their folding chairs since the 48th lap. Now it was lap 57, all they had to do was finish this lap and then complete the 58th lap. Simply to hold tight, and hold fast, for the drivers. The team that designed and built the car was holding their collective breath, from Melbourne to the rest of the team back in Sanditon.

“Last lap, Sid.” George had said that many times to his best friend, but not from this position, not from the position that he was watching his friend hold onto in the race. He was now bracing his hands on Arthur’s shoulders as he stood behind him, as he couldn’t sit still anymore.

Shortly after that, Michael had his turn for his driver. James had been hanging on to the 3rd place spot on the tyres he had been able to keep in drivable condition since his early pit stop. “Last lap James,” he stated calmly. He was now standing in front of his stool, his eyes glued to the screen showing the race in front of them on the pit wall as he ran his hand through his thick hair. His other hand was covering his mic, and he was muttering under his breath. “C’mon James, c’mon! One lap, just one more _lap_.”

The crew had jumped from the garage to get in between the controls on the pit wall and the fence above the concrete wall behind it. Leaning forward over the track, and even climbing part of the fence, they were jubilantly screaming and pumping their fists as Sidney,drove his car over the wide finish line and under the checkered flag. First place. Finally, a real race win for the Parker Racing Team. Finally all their hard work had taken their driver to the promised land of the top of the podium. Finally…

***

First place! _And third place_! Mary had to cover her mouth to contain her excitement as she watched the end of the race on her tablet in the kitchen, as the children were just starting to watch the race in the lounge. Both of her palms were now creating a tent over her mouth and her nose, trying to keep herself from screaming with glee. She felt the wetness of her tears hitting her fingertips before she even realized how emotional she was. Then she saw the team garage on the TV coverage, Tom and Diana were hugging and jumping up and down, then Tom grabbing his little sister’s cheeks and kissing her forehead before he leaned back, and practically howled with joy. Finally, she thought as she thought of Tom and the family she had joined and had become a surrogate mum to, many years ago.

***

Sidney was screaming into his mic, he knew that everyone would hear whatever he had to say as the radio would be broadcast from the winning driver. “Thanks, guys, thank you! Thank you for all your hard work on the car! Thank you to all the men and women working so hard in Sanditon! I’m so happy, so happy for all of us! Everything worked perfectly today! Really, just the best car we’ve had!” 

There was so much more that he wanted to say. So many people he was thinking of. His Dad, Reggie, Georgiana who had been there through all the rough times. He really wished she was here with the family. Now, all he really wanted to do was lap back around, park this magnificent car, and find Charlotte as soon as he could. She was the reason they had gotten there today, no matter how much she would say otherwise. He felt the tears starting to blur his vision and he blinked to get them to fall inside his visor. He had earned many podiums over the years, but this one was the biggest. This one was a _real_ race from start to finish, based on the performance of the car and the driver. Rain hadn’t determined who would stay on the track. No one had been taken out by a bad crash. All the biggest players were there, and in good form. And they won. Parkers won! He wished his Dad and Grandad could have been there to witness it. Luck had had nothing to do with it. Just talent and hard work. And one very brilliant young woman, who it seemed to Sidney, was changing every aspect of his life.

He made it back and practically jumped out of the car as soon as the engine was off. The way the team had celebrated the qualifying race yesterday, was nothing to the wall of sound Sidney met when he got his feet on the ground. They were all there, all their mechanics, Babington, Arthur, Diana, Tom, Charlotte, Michael, Crowe, and even Clara. The mechanics basically pulled him up and over the fence to lift his feet off the ground were patting his helmet, his back, his shoulder, wherever they could reach on him. They knew he still had to do his weigh in, but this was their guy, their driver that many of them had worked for since he had been moved up to the team. James soon joined them after he got out of his own car, and somehow the cheers got even louder. It all felt like some kind of miracle. Some kind of incredibly rare gift. 

James’ mechanics had followed suit with their driver, and the race scrutineers had to send someone over to have them finalize their weigh-in to make things official. Sidney reached over to James as they walked inside the open garage door to the scale, and grabbed his hand and patted his back. They had done well as a team, and he didn’t want to think about competition between them in that moment. He had shown what he always knew he could do, and this accomplishment, this goal was one he was going to enjoy.

Tom squeezed his way over to Arthur, the grouping of engineers around him, and Charlotte. With every awards presentation for the drivers, there is also an award for the constructing team of the winning car. A single member of the development team receives the award with the drivers’ awards at the podium. Most teams rotate which member of the crew accepts the award, usually it was one of the engineers. “Arthur. Arthur!” Tom was trying to get his attention with the noise and excitement surrounding them.

“Ha Ha, Tom! Now what do you think of _that_ , big brother?!” Arthur grabbed him in a big bear hug, still laughing in his joy.

“I think its bloody remarkable, Arthur! In fact, I think you should be the one to get the team trophy up there.” He smiled and nodded his head toward the elevated platform where the podium was the awards would be presented.

Arthur was in shock. “Me?! Oh I don’t know Tom, the mechanics might deserve this more than I do, but…” He looked over his shoulder at Charlotte and Michael as they were talking with both Sidney and James after their weigh-in. Sidney looked like a rescued puppy dog when he looked at Charlotte. Arthur smiled softly. “Tom, I think we all know who deserves to be on that podium.” He tipped his head toward the group.

“Charlotte? Are you sure? You’re the _Lead_ Engineer, and the _Track_ Engineer, Arthur.” Tom’s eyes examined the humble face of his brother.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” Arthur dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Besides, we all know the reason we’re here today, and it’s not me. No matter how many times Charlotte has tried to give me credit. No, If it was down to me, we would have already been here before. Charlotte Heywood deserves to get that trophy up there today.” He finished with a smile.

Tom nodded. “If you say so, brother. Doesn’t change how proud I am of you and all the work you and the team have done.” He added.

“Thank you, Tom. That’s nice to hear.” He answered. “Now, should you tell her or should I?”

***

_“And now, you’ll see they’ve started to announce the podium for the Australian Grand Prix! You know, Richard, we haven’t touched too much on this, but clearly the new partnership with Parker Racing and Heywood Racing seems to be paying off on the track for the Parker family!_

_“Yes, Gerald, you couldn’t have said it much better. Parker Racing is performing at a_ **_completely_ ** _different level this year, and I would have to think that this new development partnership is making all the difference. Looks like they brought a good driver with them as well! James Stringer is certainly making a name for himself getting on the podium of his first F1 race, I mean, you know as well as I, that we don’t see that very often.”_

_“Yes, very true, exceedingly rare! Puts him in rather elite company already! … And it looks like the team at Parkers agrees with you, Richard! It appears that their new Technical Director, Charlotte Heywood, from Heywood Racing and now of Parker Racing, will be accepting the team trophy for the win today. I can honestly say that I can’t remember if there has been a woman working for one of the teams that has accepted a team trophy before, Richard, can you?”_

_“No I can’t either. I mean, we_ **_heard_ ** _she was talented. Rather brilliant! My Producer is reminding me that it is…_ **_Dr._ ** _Charlotte Heywood, having earned a PHD in … Aerodynamics. Well! That is a mouthful isn’t it Gerald? Seems like maybe some of the old boys need to head back to school, if the season continues like this.”_

The two announcers were laughing now, but at what and whom wasn’t quite clear to the Heywood family back in Willingden. It was uncomfortable, listening to people you didn’t know talk about your family so openly on the telly. The room was quiet as they listened and watched.

They watched as the dignitaries were already assembled on the raised podium, placed above the garages and overlooking the end of the pit lane. The teams were assembled below, watching the ceremony above them. They watched as James was announced as the third place finisher as he walked out and stood on the right side of the podium, then Lewis announced and standing on the left. Lastly, Sidney being announced, and jumping on the center podium spot like he was doing a box jump with Diana in the gym and pumping his arms upward. Charlotte was following close after him and shyly took her spot next to the second place finisher to the left of the drivers.

***

It was emotional for Charlotte, she didn’t realize how affected she would be by hearing “God Save the Queen,” while standing up there. They usually play the winning driver’s national anthem, followed by the team’s national anthem, but since they were the same, it would only play once. She was almost sorry that they wouldn’t get to hear it one more time, as it seemed to go by so quickly and through some sort of haze. She looked down at the sea of people who were filling the crowded space below the podium on the pit lane. Phones were out taking pictures and recording as the trophies were awarded. She turned and watched as Sidney was presented with the large polished concave round metal disk that was the Australian GP trophy, handed to him by a retired racing legend who now had a “Sir” in front of his name. Charlotte was then handed the team trophy by the Prime Minister of Australia, which was the exact size and shape as Sidney’s. It was really heavy, and her hands were sweating and shaking from how exhilarating and overwhelming it all was. She was too distracted to see the trophies being presented to Lewis and then James, trying not to drop the heavy thing in her hands. She saw Sidney was holding his up with his left hand and pumping his right fist up in the air, and then pointing to acknowledge the team and his crew down below, then pointing back to the trophy in his other hand. A way of saying that the win was theirs as much as his.

The announcer for the event then said something about “champagne,” and an attendant took the trophy from her hands and handed her what she was sure was a full magnum bottle of Champagne. The thick glass of the bottle to contain the pressure of the bubbles, plus the weight of the sparkling liquid was heavier than the trophy had been. She was grateful that it was already corked, and didn’t have to manage that on international television. The drivers all stepped up on the top podium step with their bottles for photographs before they shook the bottles and started spraying each other. Charlotte had been standing there watching the three of them celebrate, when she realized that both Sidney and James were now laughing as they walked toward where she was standing, clearly in league with one another, their bottles pointed right at her. No girl who has brothers would ever retreat with “boys” coming for her. She covered the end of the bottle and shook it as hard as she could and sprayed them just as they had reached her. By keeping part of the bottle opening sealed, she was able to get it to spray further, like a garden hose. Luckily they also sprayed each other again and Lewis as well, and hadn’t emptied the entire contents of the giant bottles on top of her. They were all fairly drenched before the celebration stopped, and they all clinked the bottles and finally took a drink.

James had been directed forward for his post race interview, given by the former Australian driver, Roger. While he answered questions, Charlotte had moved to the hidden area in the wings of the stage, where Sidney and Lewis followed her for a moment to dry off with the small towels they had been given.

Lewis looked at Sidney. “Really well done today, mate.” And then he clinked his bottle against Sidney’s. “And _you_ , Charlotte Heywood.” Lewis said looking at her with a nod, “You just let me know if you’re ever looking for a new job,” and he winked as he clinked the bottle in her hand, smiling wide.

“Nope, not a chance Lewis.” Sidney was shaking his head, he didn’t care if it was a joke or not. “Never going to happen. Find your _own_ new Aerodynamicist if you're looking for one. This one isn’t going _anywhere_.” Sidney said with emphasis, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her very close to his side.

“Easy, friend.” Lewis responded with a smile, then he looked back and forth between the two of them. Charlotte looking shyly up at Sidney while her cheeks reddened from his comments. Sidney looking like an over-protective Doberman, and how tightly he was holding her against himself. Lewis smirked. “Ah, I had a feeling, but now I’m _sure_.” He said with a small knowing laugh. “Well, Dr. Heywood, my offer still stands, although I don’t think you’ll ever take my team up on it.” He then looked up toward Sidney since he was a good bit taller than him. He lifted the hand that was still holding the champagne bottle by the neck, and pointed his index finger up at Sidney. “Don’t fuck it up, Sid,” and winked at Charlotte one more time before he turned. His name being announced over the tannoy was something Lewis was used to, and he jogged up toward the front of the platform where Roger was waiting to interview him for the fans below and the cameras broadcasting live.

“He left before I could answer him, that cocky bastard,” Sidney was laughing and smiled toward where Lewis was. He looked down at Charlotte, turning himself toward her. “There is no possible way that I will _ever_ fuck this up,” his eyes were serious and darting back and forth as he looked at hers. So many different emotions were coursing through him, but with Charlotte, he felt centered again. He looked around, the Australian dignitaries had already made their way down the steps to the VIP area, including James, Lewis and Roger were out on on the platform, and no one was on the other side of the small stage. He looked back down at Charlotte’s sweet face before he spoke again. “And if I ever do, I will do everything within my power to fix it.” His voice was low and soft as he leaned closer toward her.

His lips and his tongue tasted like salt and champagne, and sweat against the scruff around his mouth. It wasn’t for long, as she heard his name being called for his own interview, and his lips pulled away from hers. Smiling at her, he put his bottle down, adjusted his ball cap on his head, and walked toward the edge of the platform, passing Lewis with a fist bump as he walked back toward the side of the stage.

Lewis had just moved past Charlotte when he paused and turned to see her picking up the team trophy from where it had been set down. When she stood he said, “Charlotte,” she looked up at him. “Just… be careful. Not with Sidney, I mean…” he added hurriedly, then smiled. “He’s actually a decent guy, despite what some people might have you believe… I mean with the press… They like to build people up just so they can tear them down in this business.” He grinned again. “Congrats, I would love to get an hour in that car you designed,” then winked and turned to jog back down the stairs with his slightly smaller trophy under his arm.

Charlotte turned to watch the last of Sidney’s interview. He was talking about the team, and their strategy for the day, and how the race had gone for him, what he was thinking during the race. He again talked about the work of the team, and she could hear the Parker crew cheering from below. He was smiling and so, so happy. She hoped then, that this was something they would be able to repeat in the future races. They had proven that they could do it, as a team. She reached down and took another drink from the bottle. She wanted to take it and share it with Arthur and Michael. She really wanted to share it with her Dad and Mum. The trophy would end up at the team headquarters, but she wished that her parents’ could have some sort of souvenir for this. Their first F1 race. Their first F1 race win. She saw Sidney walking back towards her.

“C’mon!” He said, beaming at her. “This team’s got some _celebrating_ to do tonight!” He laughed and grabbed his own trophy and bottle before they headed down the stairs to the waiting team.

The bottles were definitely passed around, and Charlotte had told Michael about wanting to do something for their parents. Then Michael grabbed the now empty bottle that she had been presented with. “It’s not exactly a trophy, but maybe the bottle will do?” He asked her.

“Why not?” She smiled. “We can at least send them a picture of us with the trophies too,” she added.

Michael called over James and Sidney, Arthur had the team trophy, and handed it to Charlotte. They got Fred to take a group photo, since he was one of the few who still had steady hands from the excitement. The two drivers, their two trophies, and the team trophy with Charlotte in the middle, and Michael towering behind her. All of them smiling uncontrollably.

***

The “Family” text group pinged on the mobiles of all the Heywoods who were old enough to have one. The photo was shared of the four of them standing in front of the team’s garage on the pit lane with their trophies in hand. A simple caption. “Miss you all! Wish you were here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I briefly mentioned Angela Cullen, who is the real life Physio for Lewis Hamilton. She is the blueprint on which I based Diana, in addition to her original character. Angela is pretty amazing, so I'm sharing a quick article if you're interested in who she is.
> 
> https://www.essentiallysports.com/who-is-angela-cullen-the-personal-trainer-who-is-always-seen-with-lewis-hamilton/


	39. Narratives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly fun, with some personal revelations. Enjoy! Sorry for any typos!

Chapter 39

Narratives

“Well, there goes ‘flying under the radar,’” Clara mumbled under her breath. She knew that Charlotte one-hundred percent deserved to be awarded the team trophy and to represent the team. She also knew that she had missed her chance to give her a better warning at what most likely lay ahead. As the confetti canons sprayed copious and almost blinding amounts of green and yellow paper during the Champagne podium celebration, Clara was busy in the crowd below the podium platform. Pointing her phone at the winners’ circle, she captured everything she could, so she could edit and share on social media later. A quick check of the team Instagram account showed that their followers were jumping by the hundreds, if not thousands every few minutes. Suddenly everyone was going to be interested in the team. She had already been approached during the race by several of the main print, television, and online reporters for interviews, as well as the F1 reporters for a one on one post race interview. The young attractive genius could have her pick of journalists. She only had to choose wisely now.

The increasing curiosity around the handsome rookie who happened to land at Parker Racing with her, had also been getting a lot of attention. As she stopped recording, she looked up at the end-race interviews that would be easy to access through the F1 accounts if she needed it, and she watched as James answered his questions looking like he just won the national lottery. His wide, sheepish smile, his big hazel eyes, and the light brown curls that were peeking out from under his ball cap. He did not exude the cocky, over-confident, confrontational attitude that some new drivers had. He looked like he was just happy and lucky to be there. Clara knew the hard work involved, and the money needed to get there. No one just got there by dumb luck. She was curious about where this humble attitude was coming from. It definitely was _not_ an act, if it were, she would have recognized it. More work for her to do, she thought. She needed to know the whole story before any of the reporters dug it up first, whatever it was.

The full team photo in front of the garage was taken. Everyone who had traveled to Melbourne was in the picture, the drivers, and team leaders sitting on the ground, front and center, with the trophies held up high by the mechanics and engineers in the back. Tom in the middle, flanked by his brothers. Charlotte and Michael sitting in the front row next to Diana and James. The likes and comments came pouring in once Clara had shared it on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. With everyone riding high, the conversations would have to wait until at least tomorrow, Clara realized. The plane ride home might be a good chance to get James in one place since those drivers never sat still for very long. Hopefully Charlotte too.

The de-rigging crew had already begun the pack-down before the race had even ended. Items that were no longer essential for the race were the first things they concentrated on while the teams had still been out on the track. The most important elements, however, were crated in their air-freight containers to be returned to Sanditon right away. The cars were being worked-on to disassemble them, section by section and piece by piece by their mechanics, to eventually be moved with fork lifts to the waiting trailers. Samples had already been taken of the fuel and the oil after the race, to test for any impurities or deposits from the engine or the gear box, checking for wear. The crew knew what their jobs were to try and keep the flow of parts and containers moving fluidly, it always was going to be a late night to get everything taken down. At least in Australia, the space to load everything up would allow them to have all of it packed by the following morning.

Members of the crew doing the packing-down were wearing bright neon-blue shirts with reflective tape on the front and back as they criss-crossed between the garage, the control center, and the lorry trailers that were packed with precision. The shirts worked as high visibility vests, but easier to move in, and more comfortable. The darker the evening got, and the more tired everyone became after the long week, it was easy to make a mistake, and they wore them to hopefully prevent any accident or injury. It also made it clear which team they were with, since each of the racing teams followed the same format, at the end of a race weekend, including their own bright t-shirts. After a momentous week, however, the smiles were contagious, and the care with which they packaged everything was done with the utmost concentration. Taking their time with the fragile car parts, and making sure that all their precious cargo was checked and double checked before the lids, doors, drawers, and latches were clamped shut.

Arthur and Charlotte had stayed behind in the garage, since it was the first time for the Heywood group to go through the fast paced dismantling of all the equipment. Arthur had already noticed how well William and Jon had managed to adapt to the quicker pace of F1. The mechanics they had brought were also fitting in quite well. He thought that may have had to do with their loyalty to the family and James since they had already been working together for over a year. Once they were well underway with the work, Arthur and Charlotte moved further out toward the pit lane.

“Charlotte, your Heywood crew is doing very well. Tell me, did any of the mechanics work on your pit crew?” He asked.

“Well, our pit stops were not really like _these_ pit stops,” she waved her hand up toward the pneumatic overhead that was still intact and waiting to be dismantled after the cars were clear of the garage. “Only when it was necessary,” she continued. Arthur was aware of how the rules were different between the different racing levels. “But of course, of the four mechanics we brought with us, they all helped with that. We didn’t keep as many mechanics on team that we do here. Why?”

“Oh, thinking about what we can do to help with the pit stops. I was serious about asking your brother for help.” He reminded her of their earlier conversation.

“It certainly couldn’t hurt. Plus, Timothy loves a good challenge,” she smiled. “I’ll ring him as soon as we get back. If I text him now, he’ll have a million questions, and tonight I want to just enjoy this.” She smiled and took a deep breath. The precision the team took to dismantle everything, was just as attentive as when they put everything together when they had arrived. She had always been pleased with the professionalism and motivation with Parker Racing since their first day. It had been one less thing for her to worry about, and the organization of the pack-down brought her a feeling of relief. 

“Arthur, Dr. Heywood…” they turned to see Christian a few steps away.

“Christian!” Arthur smiled. “Good to see you, you seemed to have a fine race.”

Christian laughed. “Obviously not as ‘fine’ as you both did,” and his eyes moved between them. “What an incredible change, Arthur. I could barely tear my eyes away to look at my own cars.” He added smoothly as he looked back at Charlotte. “You must be very proud of how well that went. I mean, we all have things that we want to go back and change, make adjustments for the next track and what it needs, and all that. But it must be a nice way to start off the season.” He looked toward the garages, where a few of the mechanics had already started to set up the folding screens that covered the wide garage openings on each side. All teams have them to hide the work on the cars, and as it was now more exposed with the coverings off, hiding their inner workings was critical.

Charlotte thought it was funny that he had brought up the possible changes, as she was already making a mental list of what they would need to do to upgrade the cars for the conditions and the track in Bahrain. Of course that list was only for Arthur’s ears and eyes. “ _Yes_ , it was a _very_ nice way to start off the season. But it’s only one race done... 19 more to go.” She said, finally speaking and gave him a small grin.

“Yes,” Arthur added. “Lots still to do.” He paused. “Was there something you wanted from us?”

“I suppose, I wanted to congratulate you, and,” he paused and looked at Charlotte and gave her a small smile. “Well, I had an interesting conversation with Russell the other day.” He looked squarely at Charlotte, his tone was friendly but still cautious about saying too much in front of Arthur. “He is very impressed with you Charlotte, if I may call you that?” He added.

“You may, Christian,” she answered him. “I only spoke with Mr. Brown for maybe 10, or 15 minutes I think,” she added almost dismissively.

“Well… Russell and I had always been competitors over the years, gave us a good wallop a few times.” He smiled. “But we always managed to keep things friendly, and now that he’s moved on to the F1 group, well… it’s nice to be able to talk to someone who understands the stresses and strains at this level of racing, and the work involved. Even without going into the specifics.” He took a short pause. “Well, he suggested I check in with you, like he used to do with me. That’s all.” He added with a hesitant grin. He patted Arthur’s shoulder. “Quite a good show today. See you in Bahrain!” He smiled at their stunned faces before he started to walk back toward the more winning end of the pit lane garages, where his team was busy with their own pack-down.

Charlotte tilted her head to watch him walk away. “What was _that_? It almost sounded like he wanted to be… _friends_? Is that even possible?” She was truly confused.

Arthur shrugged. “We really do all know each other back here. Plus people move from team to team all the time, just like the drivers do. Maybe he wants to stay in your good books in case you would ever take the bait to go work for them… I’m quite certain he was at _least_ not asking you out.” He added the last part to distract from the fact that he had just mentioned the possibility of Charlotte working somewhere else than Parker Racing, and the thought made his stomach feel sick.

“I have no intentions of going anywhere, besides, I work for my father anyway.” She added with a shrug. “I suppose it’s not a bad thing to get along off the track with the other teams. I can see his point. It’s easier to keep a bridge up, than to try and rebuild it if you burn it down.” She was still a little shell-shocked, but then she smiled at Arthur. “I guess I know who to ask if I ever need to borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbours.” She nudged her elbow into Arthur’s arm, breaking him out of his uncharacteristic silence when he finally chuckled.

“Well! That team _definitely_ has a lot of _sugar_ in the bank,” his eyes widened as he still smiled. The Austrian team was one of the best funded, and very popular with their fans. If Charlotte’s team appointment ever came down to money, there was no way that Parker Racing could compete with at least 4 of the other teams on the grid. Trying to change the subject a little, “he could have slipped you a note after class. ‘Check _this_ box if you want to be friends, check this _other_ box if you don’t.”

Charlotte laughed, then thought about Sidney’s concerns from last night. Maybe he should have been more worried about someone trying to lure her away for her abilities, and not someone wanting to ask her out. She heard the ringtone on Arthur’s phone go off. When he pulled it out, it was Tom, and he clicked to put the call on speaker.

“Yes Tom.” He answered

“Are you with Charlotte?” He asked.

“Yes, she’s right here, and you’re on speaker.” He spoke loudly into the microphone, as the noise from the garage was also getting louder.

“Wonderful, excellent! Hurry it up you two, we have the small dining room at the hotel for dinner. Bring anyone who can leave tonight with you! We are all outside the control center and heading toward the gate right now, so get moving, Arthur!”They could hear Tom smiling through the phone speaker.

“We’ll be right there!” And he clicked off his phone. Smiling and more relaxed now, he looked at Charlotte and held out his arm like for her to take.

“Thank you kind sir, don’t _mind_ if I do.” Charlotte hooked her arm through Arthur’s. “I believe your brother is ready to _party_ ,” she added sparkling at him.

Arthur chuckled. “I believe _all_ of the Parker brothers, and possibly even their _sister_ are ready for that tonight,” and he laughed fully as they headed back to the garage to wind their way through all the pieces and parts being stored and packed.

They found a few of the engineers finishing up and told them of Tom’s plans, they picked up their things from the control center as the computers were being packed away. As they walked with their bags and their team jackets on their shoulders and over their arms through the paddock, they had both received congratulations from people from other teams, and track personnel who noticed the team gear. A few people knew Arthur, and seemed to be genuinely happy to see the family do so well today. Soon they were approaching the fencing and the gate they had come and gone through all week.

The vans and SUVs were waiting for them, as were some loyal fans hoping to see them off. Fans who had been queuing along the fence line waiting, and Charlotte had seen that Clara was working on this side of the fence with James and Sidney as they greeted some of them. They were signing some autographs, taking lots of selfies with the younger fans, and enjoying the accolades from some of the older fans who had probably been around when The late Mr. Parker had started the team with his own father. She noticed how emotional some of the fans were, and was struck by how invested they were with the team, especially with Sidney. Even grown men, older than her father were eager to shake his hand, and tell stories of how they had been watching him race since the beginning of his career. One group of them was even sporting vintage Parker Racing gear from many years ago, even if the shirts were a little tighter around their middles than they used to be. It was heartwarming. She stopped walking to watch them exchanging appreciation from the fans, for gratitude from the drivers. 

She had separated from Arthur when he saw Tom’s tall figure, and it wasn’t long until she saw Michael, also towering above a good amount of the crowd trying to leave the paddock area. He saw her as she approached, and nodded his head toward one of the SUVs that were waiting for them. Charlotte nodded in return and followed him. She climbed into the car behind Michael,and pulled her phone from her pocket before she sat down. Sidney had sent a text to her. She let him know that she was with Michael and they were headed back to the hotel. He was deep into the crowd, and it did not look like he wanted a quick escape. She smiled thinking of how long it had taken for the team to deliver a solid win based on the talents of their favourite driver, and a car with which he could finally reach that goal.

“Do you want to wait for Sidney?” Michael asked as he went through his own phone and then looked up at the crowd through the windscreen.

“Would you want to pull him away from that?” She pointed to the crowd that he and James were still interacting with on the other side of the fence, smiling.

Michael laughed softly. “No, I guess not. Better let him know where you are though.” He instructed.

“Yes, dear brother,” she teased. “I will do as you instruct,” another pointed barb at him telling her to do something.

Michael answered drolly. “Spare me, _please_. You know he will worry if he doesn’t know where you are.” He shook his head. After running into the two of them snogging in the foyer at Denham Place, he knew that this was no ordinary relationship… For either of them. “For _once_ , Charlotte, just listen to your big brother.” She laughed at him and showed him that she had already sent him a text.

“Far too many x’s at the end of that.” He grumbled, looking at the four “kisses” on the tail end of the text.

“You’re starting to sound like an old man, Michael,” she teased.

“No, only like a big brother who has been instructed to keep an eye on you by our parents, our aunt, _and_ our other siblings,” he retorted.

Charlotte’s eyes opened wide as her mouth dropped. “You have… they have not… but really? … _All_ of _them?!”_ Her brows furrowed over this revelation, this _intrusion_.

He looked at her startled face. “Well not the twins, or Oliver. But from Sara on up, the answer would be, ‘yes.’ So you can save that _look_ for them the next time you see the family.”He noticed that she was looking around, her brows were now knitted tightly and her mouth set even tighter.

“Do they really think that little of me? That I can’t take care of myself? That I don’t know what I’m doing?!” The elation from earlier was now frustration, betrayal, and confusion.

“No, of course not. You know what they’re like, what _we’re like_! Besides, we haven’t known the Parker’s very long, and they were bad enough about Amanda when we broke up, and she and I had been dating for 5 _years_!” He took a deep breath. “They only mean it because they’re worried that you’ll get hurt. We all know that _jerk_ from Cambridge did a number on you, and before you say anything, I _know_ that Sidney is nothing like… _him_.” Michael refused to even say his name. “But it’s normal for them to worry. For _us_ to worry. We’re all on top of each other too much to do otherwise.” He added as a matter of fact. She seemed to be calming down. “You were still in Boston when Amanda and I broke up… I was a complete and _utter_ mess, and I’m sure they’re worried it might happen to you as well.”

She nodded and her shoulders relaxed. “Alright, but if I see, or hear about you giving Sidney some kind of ‘ _talk_ ’ about what his _intentions_ are, I will find ways to make your life miserable.” She stated plainly.

He nodded, “fair enough.” As children, the four oldest Heywood children had all played pranks on one another. The retaliatory tricks that Charlotte played were always inventive, and she struck when they least expected it. It was not a wrath that he wanted to invite. “I’ll give you your space, but if anything goes wrong, know that I’m here for you.” He looked at her until she nodded in response.

Charlotte was beginning to take all these warnings and pieces of “friendly” advice as some kind of coordinated effort, instead of the random events that they were. But if felt like a joint attack to put her on her guard about everything in her life right now.The Press, competitors, her love life, it felt like everyone thought they should be the one to tell her to keep an eye out for the “bad guys,” the predators, the leeches. It was becoming annoying. Truly and completely annoying. She was hoping that the comments were coming from personal experiences that these people wanted to share, but did they all think that she was that naive? That she could be so easily duped or taken advantage of? Lewis and Christian barely knew her, and they too had felt compelled, or even worse, felt they had the _right_ to say something as well! If they wanted to put her on her guard, it was working, just by their overly concerned unsolicited advice. Her face was red and her breathing had quickened, and after such and incredible day, she was now... _angry_. She clicked on her messages and started clicking away on her keypad.

Charlotte: 

I’m still heading back to the hotel with Michael, but I think I’ll need a swim when I

get there. Don’t wait for me if you want to head to the party before I get back. I’ll meet you

therexxxx

***

She usually tried to not sprint as soon as she hit the water, but with the anger she was feeling, and needing to process that along with why it was all happening now, she could couldn’t restrain herself. 16 lengths of the pool behind her, she started to slow down. Or rather, her body demanded of her to slow down. She could not keep up that punishing of a pace. She stopped to catch her breath and take a drink from her water bottle, pushing her goggles up on her swim cap. Many people had been over-protective of her throughout her life. She knew that. But she was finally an adult, working in the field that she trained for, exceptionally well-educated, well-read, and most certainly _not_ a little girl anymore! She took another drink as she tried to stretch her lungs to let more air inside as she was still catching her breath.

Even Sidney had thought she was still in secondary school when they met! Now she was starting to spiral, and she knew it. If anyone could lay out a life-long history of people misjudging her, it was Charlotte. Fortunately she could also recognize when those thoughts were starting to pile up too quickly. Slipping her goggles back over her eyes, she turned to her back, taking slow gentle strokes, rotating her shoulders and sweeping her arms under the water gently, breathing with her face above the water line the entire time.

She had always looked even younger than she was, and being surrounded in school with other students who were all quite a bit older than her, seemed to exacerbate the problem. Her high round forehead, wide eyes, and full cheeks had always made people think she was still a child, an innocent. She most certainly was not an innocent anymore. Sometimes it was an advantage, taking others by surprise when they least expected it. Other times it was a distinct disadvantage. She had, in fact, so far resisted buying herself a new car since returning from Boston and now gainfully employed. Choosing instead to keep driving her mother’s old Audi estate car that she had given her when she replaced it with a new one. The irony of it. Dreading the idea of going to deal with salesmen at an auto dealership who would no doubt treat her like she didn’t know what torque meant, how the all-wheel-drive operated in the car, or the horsepower generated by a 3 liter V6 engine. She stopped swimming and stood suddenly in the middle of the pool.

There was no one else to hear her, but she spoke softly out loud. “Maybe if people knew who I was, they would not feel the need to treat me like a child.” Her brain clicked. “If most, or even _some_ of the population of Britain knew who I was, what I do, what kind of work I’m accomplishing, then perhaps I would no longer have to explain myself, or defend myself! Or at the very least, not as often.” The solution, or partial solution, seemed so simple. It certainly had it’s draw-backs, but what would be worse? She asked herself. It was something to consider, and Clara could certainly help, she thought. She felt her confidence rising at the thought. To be able to take some control of how people see me, she thought. Anonymity certainly had its privileges, but so did not having to explain yourself constantly, or have people treat you like a toddler taking their first steps into the big wide world. She rolled back over onto her stomach and swam slowly, thinking about her options. With her family, of course, it wouldn’t be helpful. But with the public, the press, and even with the other teams, it might. It very well might!

***

By the time she reached the party, everyone had been there awhile. She had texted Sidney she was soon on her way, and he had responded with a smiley face emoji. She had showered quickly, piled her still damp hair into a fetching loose bun, and decided to wear her new green dress with a pair of gold heeled sandals. She really did want to celebrate, and as she entered the party room, she notice that everyone else had dressed up a little as well. There was music playing, and a group was dancing even though the space was a little small for that.No one seemed to care. The lights were low and there were champagne buckets on every table, with waitstaff checking on their every need. A small buffet was set up in one corner, so she headed there, first. She was ravenous after the day they had and the laps she swam. The messy bun only helped to show off the plunging draped fabric and her décolletage in front, and her neck and her shoulders from the back. She was filling a small plate when she felt his lips in the corner of where her neck and her shoulder met. Giggling from his short whiskers on her neck, she slowly turned her head. Sidney was in a dress shirt and trousers, and looked like he might have had a couple glasses of champagne already. She felt his hands sliding around her waist as she turned completely with her plate still in her hand.

“ _There_ you are, I’ve been looking for _you_ ,” his voice was deeper and yet smoother at the same time. He leaned, giving her a small but lingering kiss.

“We’re you?” She teased, and smiled at him.

“I was,” he smiled and leaned a little more toward her until the plate was definitely in his way. “You look _gorgeous,_ did you have a nice swim?”

She looked up, “Hmmm, let’s say that it was a _productive_ swim,” and then looked back at him while she smiled. His look was a little confused, but she cut him off before he could ask anything else. “I’m starving! Have you eaten already?”

“A bit, but I think I could use more. Lots of energy burned today,” he added with a smile. He released her waist and made another small plate of his own, mostly protein and even bit of the vegetable and pasta salad.

She looked at his plate when he was finished to ask where he was sitting. “Living dangerously, I see,” she said with a wink and a nod toward his plate.

Sidney laughed with his wide smile, “ _True_ , but I think I earned it today. I think we _all_ did. Here…” he gestured toward the table he had sat at before. Setting his plate down quickly, he got to her chair before she did, and helped her as she sat. He watched her as she settled herself, leaning back to place the napkin in her lap. She finally looked back up at him since he hadn’t sat down yet.

“Well, aren’t you going to join me?” She smiled up at him, but her eyes were questioning his behavior.

He leaned forward toward her ear as his eyes grazed over the revealing neckline. “I was just enjoying the view,” he whispered and gently kissed her ear. Thinking that it was a good thing that the lighting in the room was dim.

She turned her head up toward him and in his ear, whispered, “Then my plan is working.” She pulled her head back, her dark lashes sweeping up the length of him to see his face better, as she teased him with her smile. She saw his mouth open as his breath caught slightly, and he cleared his throat.

He reached for his chair and finally sat down, as Charlotte watched every move that he made. He looked to see her watching him and gave his sideways grin. He leaned toward her, sitting at his right at the small square table. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, Dr. Heywood.” He sounded deep and dark, giving a voice to the thoughts going on in his head.

She leaned-in, even closer still. Inhaling, she could still smell the chlorine from the pool, mixed with her perfume, but she could also smell Sidney. A mixture of cedar, salt, black tea, a bit of dry champagne, and almost something smoky. Like the fires he ignited in her were leaving a trail behind them. Looking deeply into his dark eyes, she answered. “I believe that I know _exactly_ what I’m doing, Mr… Parker.” Her lips pouted, almost in a blown kiss, as she uttered the first letter of his last name. Still holding his gaze, she felt his hand grip her thigh tightly under the table. She let her gaze fall as she reached for the champagne bottle in the middle of the table. She plucked it up from the ice bucket and poured herself a generous glass, and then tilted her head toward him as if asking if he wanted more.

He shook his head. “Thank you, no, I think I’ve had enough.” He winked at her as he helped her place the bottle back in the bucket. “It appears I need to have my wits about me, tonight.” He watched her as she took a drink from the tall glass.

“It appears that you are right.” She smiled at him over the rim.

He wasn’t sure what had come over her to be so forward with him, and around the team as well, but he was enjoying every second of it! The noise from the music, combined with the loud conversations, laughter and general boisterous conversations, acted well as a shield for their very personal conversation. He watched as she started to eat her meal.

The diaphanous fabric of her emerald green dress moved with her. It draped over her breasts and twisted in a knot at her high waist. Where it was tight against her, he could see all of her curves through the thin woven fabric. He could barely take a bite from his plate until he realized that he needed to eat to keep up his strength. He felt hypnotized. Maybe it was the high from the win, maybe it was the confidence it gave him, or the love he had gotten from some of their fans. Maybe it was just her. Either way, he was going to ride this wave for as long as it would let him.

They had danced with the team for a bit after dinner, and Charlotte had a little more champagne before returning to their room. The win, plus the alcohol had loosened their inhibitions about privacy. They held hands through the lobby and into the elevator, and they couldn’t keep their hands or their mouths off each other once the elevator stopped on their floor. They somehow managed to open the door to their suite. Charlotte took Sidney’s hand and led him to his room, where she gently pushed his chest down until he was seated at the foot of his bed. She reached up behind her neck and slowly started to pull down the zipper of her dress. Sidney reached for her waist and she slapped his hands away. She waved her finger at him.

“It’s not your turn for that.” She said, scolding him.

He smirked as he watched her finish with the zipper, but she didn’t remove it. Instead she leaned forward and slowly undid the buttons of his shirt, yanking it out of the waistband of his trousers. Pushing the shirt off of his shoulders, she felt the warmth of him, and relished moving her hands over his smooth taut skin, as she took the shirtsleeves as far as his wrists. It allowed her to lean over him, and gave her the opportunity to kiss his ear and move slowly down the side of his neck and his exposed shoulders.

His breath caught in his throat as she practically had him pinned between the shirt still on his wrists as he leaned back on his hands, and the pressure of her lips on his neck and his chest. Her teeth gently grazing his skin sent shock waves through his body. His head fell back as she ran her tongue over his Adam’s apple, up to the tip of his chin, before she moved her hands behind his head and slipped her tongue into his mouth, as she held him up. He couldn’t take it anymore, her kisses were setting his skin on fire. The wait was delicious, but torturous as well. He pulled his hands from the rolled-up cuffs of his shirt and reached for the hem of the long dress. He had lifted it up to her thighs before she realized what he was doing. She released him and stepped back, gently shaking her head no.

“It is not your turn, Sidney.” She breathed his name through her teeth slowly, and he moaned in his impatience. She held his eyes with hers, as she undid the buckle of his belt, the catch of his trousers, and slowly pulled down his zipper.

He couldn’t look at her after that, what she was doing to him was making the wait that much more difficult. “Charlotte…” he moaned her name, unable to say anything else as she continued to remove all of his clothing, kissing and gripping his newly bared skin as she went. Only when she was finished with him did she stand back and gently push off the draped shoulders of the dress one at a time. He watched her in agony as she slowly revealed what he had suspected from the cut of the dress. Her chest was bare, and he resisted against every fiber of his being to reach out and pull her against his body. As the dress pooled on the floor she stepped out of it, and he noticed the tiny light blue silk and pink lace knickers she was wearing. Something that looked so innocent, but tempting, provocative, and tantalizing all at the same time. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath again. He took her in, as she removed her sandals. She increased the torture as she slowly took the two short steps towards him.

She captured his mouth with hers again, leaning her forearms on his shoulders. He reached up to grab her arms, to touch her anywhere she would let him. She pulled back again shaking her head no. “Mr. Parker, you have had your way with me quite a few times this week, as I recall.” He was watching her face, his mouth still open from their kiss, desperate to touch her. “It is my turn to have my way with you.” She leaned forward with her hands on his chest, drawing them slowly down and past his waist.

“Oh god,” he whispered as his head fell back again. “Charlotte… I…” She placed an index finger on his full lips.

“Shhhh….” She whispered softly in his ear as she moved her hand back to his chest from his lips. “It’s time to let _me_ drive for a little while.” Her lips curled in a smile against the skin under his ear, and she continued to worship his form under her lips in a way she had not taken the time to do before. She heard him release a low guttural moan. He had always been so intent on pleasing her, taking care of her, relishing her. He had taken the initiative, shown no mercy in his seductions of her, again and again over the past week. Her breath against his skin made him shiver and she felt the power she had to affect him, and not just in the way she had to attract him. She could feel him letting go, letting her take the lead, giving himself to her as she had with him over and over.

She wanted him, if she had let herself explore this feeling more she might have realized that the want had more to do with giving. Giving him something he hadn’t asked for, giving him the chance to not always be in control. Always at the wheel, making the plans, leading the dance, as it were. In life, in his relationships, in his work, with his family, almost with everything. They were so much alike. It just manifested in different ways, at different times. If she had explored it more, she would have understood that this was what it felt like to be falling in love. But love was not a word often at the ready in Charlotte Heywood’s mind. Just as it wasn’t with Sidney. One more thing they had in common. An unwillingness to let go. Yet somehow, in one short week in Australia, they had given more of themselves to one another, than either of them had ever done before.

***

The frantic packing the following morning had only been relieved by the large suitcase that Clara had ordered for her that matched the luggage Charlotte already had. It held almost all of the things she had purchased, and she managed to squeeze the less crushable items into the cases she had brought with her. She looked like she had packed for a two week Mediterraneancruise, with all the luggage she was taking home with her from Australia. She had been extra careful to place the green dress in tissue paper to keep the delicate fabric safe. Especially after last night, when they had eventually snuggled tightly under the loose sheet. She had heard Sidney mumble as he was falling asleep, but pulled her tighter into his body. “I don’t think I will ever forget you in that dress, and this night…My emerald goddess.” He continued kissing the back of her neck until he had fallen asleep. Passed out from the wholly remarkable day that he’d had.

She was not likely to forget it either. She smiled to herself as she carefully placed the tissue-wrapped treasure in the new case. She had her separate duffel ready for the long flight. Her tote packed with all the essentials, including the mints Clara had given her. She had made sure to pack a decent outfit, in case she wanted to shower on the plane as Sidney had when they arrived. It had been exactly one week, and so much had changed. She had been in contact with Esther, and they had made plans to meet for dinner the following night. She had hinted at a few things, but there were so many feelings she needed to process, and Esther could probably help. At the very least she had always been a good listener.

“Almost ready, Darling?!” She could hear Sidney calling out from his room as he finished closing up his suitcases.

She smiled and leaned her head through the open door of her room. “Yes, my dearest, almost ready.”

He turned to see her smiling, and he rolled his cases out of his room. He couldn’t help the half grin that his face automatically set itself to, when he looked at her. “If you keep looking at me like that Charlotte, we will have to apply for Australian citizenship. They will never be able to get us to leave this hotel suite.” He had set the cases next to the table and kept walking until he had her hair woven through his hands.

“What? This morning wasn’t enough? Or last night?” She asked him teasingly and with a straight face.

“Nothing ever seems to be enough,” he answered darkly, and enveloped her mouth with his. No small sweet kiss, just all of him, all at once, his body pressed tightly against her, as he pulled her to him at her waist.

Her voice made a small sound in her throat as the air was taken from her, and it merely spurred him on. Pulling her even closer, and running his hands over her, like they had all the time in the world. She had to pull away in order to breathe, and remind him of the time. “Sidney,” she said breathlessly. “Our plane leaves in a little over two hours. We have to be downstairs in half an hour at the latest.” He hadn’t stopped kissing her, he had only moved his lips from her mouth to her cheeks and then her neck, until he somehow found himself buried in the deep v-neck of her thick, black, silk blouse. The buttons perilously close to becoming undone. “How on earth do you have the energy?” She asked him as she looked down at the back of his head, her body starting to squirm from the pleasure, as he still had her pressed to his body. It was like a light switch, all he had to do was press the right button, any button really, and she was helpless in resisting his “charms.”

He kissed his way back up to her collar bones. “Half an hour is more than enough time,” he spoke between his kisses and his tongue, both unable to resist exploring her. “You’re almost packed aren’t you?” She nodded wordlessly, her head back and her mind numb. He smiled against her neck, “good.” His voice was dark and he added a low chuckle as he picked her up around her waist, and delivered her to her own bed. As he set her down, he looked into her eyes, her lids half closed, lips parted and still trying to catch her breath. “Besides,” he smiled as he laid her back on the bed. He had already begun unbuttoning the new blouse. “It’s a long flight. I have to have my fill of you before we are stuck on that plane with everyone we work with.” His hands had found their way to the last button. He flung the two halves away for his lips to find her bared stomach, as her back arched beneath him. His hands then pulling down the waist of the stretchy comfortable leggings she was wearing for the flight. Her hands had found the button fly of his jeans. Half an hour alone together, was just what they needed.

After redressing themselves from top to toe, for the second time that morning, their luggage was ready by the door. “It’s really too bad that we can’t take the flowers with us,” Charlotte said sadly as she looked the still-brilliant bouquet of red roses. Sidney walked over, examined a few of them quickly before choosing one, and plucking-off most of the stem. “Here, we can press it if you want, and sneak it past customs. It’s not like it's a live plant anymore, and you can keep one. A flower from the first bouquet I bought you, from our first race,” he smiled widely at the sweet wide smile she gave him in return. “Aaand our first win.” He added as he leaned down and kissed her as she took the shortened stem and brilliant bloom from his hand. He kept his lips barely touching hers as he whispered softly, “Quite a few, _other firsts_ , as well. All of which I plan to never forget.” He pressed his lips back to hers, and pulled her waist to him again, before groaning and releasing her. “You are going to be the death of me, Charlotte Heywood.” 

Charlotte giggled. “Likewise, Sidney Parker. I don’t know how I will ever be able to concentrate on the plane and get any work done.” She shook her head slightly. “You make yourself far too tempting.” She smiled and stood up on her toes for one more kiss. “This entire week has been like a dream, except that it was better than any dream I’ve ever had.”

“I hesitate to ask…but… was that because of us, or because of the race?” He really did hesitate, but he needed to know.

She smiled. “In all honesty, I suppose both. I knew the car was capable of doing well, so it wasn’t a surprise.” She bit her bottom lip. “But you, sir, have been full of surprises,” she said softly as her eyes searched his face. “Wonderful, thoughtful, kind, distracting surprises,” she whispered. She was putting herself out there, putting herself in a position to be hurt.

He had never been so affected by someone else’s words before. Had never felt like the things he had done had made so much of an impression in any relationship. He had no words to explain it. Holding her cheeks in his hands he smiled slightly, his eyes soft and vulnerable, one more kiss, gentle and slow. One more before leaving the cocoon of their suite in Australia and rejoining the world outside. He leaned his forehead against hers, thinking of words to say. Eventually, he spoke. “Charlotte, I have never wanted to be a part of someone else’s dreams before. Now, with you, it’s all I think about.” He hesitated with his half smile, hoping it was enough, and also not too much. The sweet dimpled smile he got in return answered his insecurities. He leaned down and kissed the deep dimple in her chin, then looked at her seriously. “God that dimple does me in every time,” and he laughed a little as she blushed from the compliment.

“Come on, if you keep talking like that we will definitely have to apply for citizenship,” she teased. “And then Arthur will be furious with us _both_.”

He chuckled softly with a hint of dread. “We certainly don’t want _that. Trus_ t me!” Charlotte looked at him like she had missed something, but he did not want to explain his brother’s hidden dark side, he moved to get their luggage and themselves out the door.

Luggage and people we loaded into the long line of cars and vans. The Park Hyatt’s long drive that leads from the street to the front doors under the porte-cochere, were lined with tall shrubs. It wasn’t until the cars reached its end to turn onto the street, did the occupants of the vehicles could see the cameras, news teams, signs held up by fans, and people lined up in small groups on both sides of the street.

Sidney had never seen a send-off like this for the team anywhere. He saw Charlotte react with surprise and then laugh a little before she got quiet. He looked to the side of the street she was looking, and saw it. Signs with things like, “Marry Me Sidney,” or offering to carry his children. There were also signs for James, which made Sidney smirk a little. His teammate was certainly making a name for himself, and if it took some of the attention away from him, he was fine with it. Charlotte might not have found it to be as amusing. Her silence seemed to come from a different place, as she turned her head to look forward out the windscreen, her expression unreadable. He reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips. She turned to look at him. “I almost feel sorry for them,” he said with a nod toward the window. “They have no idea the competition has them completely outclassed.” And then he kissed her hand again. Her face softened and she smiled quietly.

“I can hardly blame them, can I?” Then she leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder, and wrapping her arm around his waist. The dark windows hiding them from any cameras. She could easily see why he was such a heartthrob, and dare she say, sex symbol. She snuggled in a little closer, and his arm went around her waist before he leaned his head on hers. They arrived at the airport for their chartered return flight home. There were more cameras and press at the airport. They also weren’t the only team leaving near the same time that morning. The crowd of people leaving all the cars and vans made it harder for the cameras to zero in on the primary subjects they wanted. Charlotte and Sidney made their way in the middle of the large Parker Team contingent, to the relative safety of the concourse. It was only when they were seated in basically the same seats on the plane that they had occupied on the way to Australia, that they could breathe and start to relax.

Charlotte took out her phone, it was too early in England to talk to anyone or send messages back to Willingden, so she read some emails, and sent some responses that would not interrupt anyone still sleeping. She saw Clara boarding and taking a seat more toward the front of the plane, on the other aisle from where she sat. Sidney was talking with Babington and Crowe at their seats, so she jumped up to catch Clara before the plane took off.

“Clara,” she spoke once she got nearer to her seat.

Clara smiled widely at her. “I barely saw you last night, not that Sidney would leave you alone for a little girl-talk, the way he had his hands all over you,” she said with a pleased smirk. They had been so cute together, she would not have wanted to interrupt them anyway. “How are you doing with all of this?” She asked. Best to leave the subject open to interpretation, and let Charlotte fill in the blank.

“Actually, that is what I wanted to speak with you about,” then she smiled and whispered more closely to her. “But last night was a lot of fun,” she blushed as she said it. “But I had an idea yesterday, and I think I should ask your opinion as I will also probably need your help. Can we talk later, after the plane takes off? Find a couple of quiet seats.”

“Everything is OK, isn’t it?” She asked with a tone of concern. Charlotte shook her head.

“No, everything is fine. It’s a thought that I had that might make my transition into F1 politics, etc. a little less bumpy.” Clara raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

“I’m all ears when you’re ready to talk. Let’s say, an hour after take-off? We will have to wait till we can move about, and it’ll give us some time to settle first. Meet me in coach?” Clara could always be counted on when a time and place needed to be locked down. It was the only way to keep a busy schedule, and she also wanted to pull a couple other people aside during this flight. It was lucky that Charlotte had come to her instead of her trying to pull her away from Sidney.

Charlotte smiled, and lifted her eyes in relief. She had to run these ideas by Clara, it was her job, and she was practically an expert on what she thought might work. “That’s perfect! Oh, and bring your phone and tablet, or whatever you work with the most.” She smiled and turned to head back to her seat, just as the pilot was making an announcement that they would be taxiing soon.

Clara tipped her head thinking about what Charlotte had said. Not knowing what she wanted to talk about, the last comment intrigued her. Maybe she wouldn’t have to take on the media “talk” like she thought she would.

Precisely an hour after they were in the air, Clara rose from her seat and saw Charlotte do the same, or almost. From the vantage point of standing near to their seats, she saw a discreet kiss between Charlotte and Sidney before she stood up from her seat, and nodded at Clara to lead the way down the aisles. They found seats a few rows back from the front of the coach section of the plane. Setting the tray tables up for their use, Charlotte began with what had been bothering her. She mentioned all the conversations she had had with people at the track. Clara seemed a little surprised.

“Really? Lewis said that, after the awards ceremony?” Charlotte nodded as Clara processed and spoke again as her eyes drifted to the empty seat back in front of her, thinking. “I’ve known him for years. He is always very focused, a little serious, but he does have an _unspeakable_ amount of pressure on him” She looked back at Charlotte. “I suppose he would know first hand, wouldn’t he?” She shrugged. “I had no idea he was that… friendly… I suppose. Maybe your youth and reminds him of himself?” She wasn’t really sure what the motivation was. She was pretty sure dating Charlotte would _not_ be on his radar. Dating a designer of an opponent’s car? What would be the point, it would only bring problems. And he really was much older than her. No, it had to be something else? Play nice and then try to lure her to Mercedes? Perhaps, certainly the most probable reason… Or perhaps he simply took a liking to her. Her sweet innocent looks, her obvious ability to do her job… Charlotte was certainly a likable person, why wouldn’t he like her too? “Tell me more, Charlotte,” she knew there was more to this conversation.

Charlotte elaborated about Christian, and how he had given her a fairly cryptic message of support or understanding, or something along those lines. She wasn’t really sure.

The whole day had been a lot, she thought. Then she explained Michael, and her family, and the mini-nervous breakdown she’d had.Frustrated and seething with the need of having to consistently defend or explain herself, then the revelation in the pool.

“Clara, I think I need to put myself out there more.” She paused and watched Clara as she nodded while listening to her. “But the thing is, I don’t really know how to do that. That’s why I need your help.”

There it was, an open invitation, and Clara hadn’t needed to have the awkward conversation she had anticipated. Charlotte had come to the realization all by herself. Clara wondered why she hadn’t assumed Charlotte would figure this out on her own. It only made sense that a a ‘stamped and certified’ genius would understand these things,and of course it hadn’t taken her long. One race week.

“I want to have some kind of control over what gets out in the media, what I share with the public, and how I can use that to help people understand me and who I am, more. You see?” She inquired, her eyes squinting to show that she was unsure of the approach.

“Absolutely,” Clara answered simply. “Control the narrative, share your story _your_ way. It’s perfect, really. I completely agree.” She added smiling. Almost beaming, it was everything she wanted to help Charlotte with since she had met her. At least this way, it was all Charlotte’s decision. “Well, first things first,” she took out her tablet and motioned for Charlotte to do the same. “Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and …maybe Snapchat. At the very least we need to establish accounts for you, reserve your name as you want it for each platform, and have them authenticated by the platforms themselves if need be.” She opened each app on her tablet and watched as Charlotte repeated and took her recommendations and instructions. Clara shared some of the photos she took during the week, they looked for more F1 pictures online, and she showed Charlotte the sites from other people in F1 and the other team pages as well as Parkers. The photos Clara had taken of the three of them on the podium with Lewis yesterday were already prominently on all the sites and all the pages.

They looked at some of the press coverage, looked for photos she might be able to add or to use, and there it was. The photo of Sidney winking as he put his helmet on. She couldn’t help but smile, knowing it had been meant for her. Then she felt a little vulnerable. Something that had been sweet, supportive, and personal, was now out there for public consumption. She looked to see Clara shaking her head at something on her phone. “What?” She asked, hesitant to hear the answer.

Clara made a reluctant face and shook her head, before she turned the screen toward Charlotte. The smile, the wink, his sculpted tan neck as he tilted his head back to put on his helmet. The whole sequence had been slowed down and turned into a Gif that was taking over the internet, apparently. The quick personal moment, was now a “thirst” Gif. No one knew who the look and the wink was for, or why he had done it. The fact that he went on to win the race had only catapulted the Sidney Parker fandom into another stratosphere. Aided by his undeniable movie-star good looks, and infinite sex appeal. She had to admit, it was hot, he was hot, and it made her pleased that all the heat and seduction he emanated in those tiny seconds had been for her. In someway she was happy to be able to relive it as she watch it repeating over and over until she tapped to pause it. In another way, the memory of it had already stayed with her. She didn’t need it, not when he was with her everyday. She wasn’t sure how she felt about other people seeing it over and over again, though.

Clara studied her. “Was that you, that look? Was it for you?” She asked. Charlotte nodded silently. “You’re a lucky girl, Charlotte. That was … no _ordinary_ look.” She added with a little smirk. “Everyone else out there can imagine it’s for them if they want, admire him from afar, but you will always know it was meant for you.” She could only imagine what might be going through that head of hers.

Charlotte simply nodded softly, then looked at Clara and smiled, and nodded again. It only showed that she needed to do this, to “control the narrative” of her own life. “Ok, now what?” She asked.

“Now… now we show the world exactly who Charlotte Heywood is, and only what you want to show them, dear.” She smiled and they got to work. They went through more photos that Charlotte had from her days at all the Universities she had attended, and created a separate file to keep things organized. Photos with Heywood Racing, some with Michael and with her father at the track. Photos with Parker Racing that the F1 photographers had taken, and some that Clara had taken. Then the one they had sent home to the family in Willingden, it seemed like the perfect one to start her Instagram account with, and a banner photo for FaceBook. Profile pics were set, photos for future posts, and finally the first posts, and then friend and follow requests from her own profiles were made. She followed a lot of F1 pages and the driver pages and team leaders, there were so many that Clara explained to her would be the ones to keep in touch with. She didn’t have to check it all the time, and if she wanted, she could share her sign in information with Clara, so that she could help her manage it all if it became too much.

“Good idea.” She agreed. It did seem to be a lot at once. And honestly, she didn’t have too much time to manage all of it. She finished setting up all the other accounts. Facebook seemed like it might be best to stay in touch with family and friends, and she could keep it pretty private. Twitter, well, she had the account, but doubted she would use it much. Instagram seemed to be the platform most of the F1 people and teams used, so she would mostly start with that. She clicked the app shut when they were finished, breathed a sigh of relief, closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the plane. After a few more breaths, she looked back at Clara.

“Thank you, Clara. I would have been lost trying to do that all by myself.” She managed a grin even though she was mentally exhausted from the exercise.

“My pleasure, Charlotte. I’m here to help… and not just with work and PR, you know. I think we can work out a plan of how you want to continue to share photos, or stories in a paced and planned way. A little bit of Charlotte at a time. I also think we should make decisions on who you want to give interviews with. F1 is a given, but of the independent journalists, I think we can be selective. You don’t have a lot of extra free time anyway,” Clara added.

“Excellent ideas, Clara. Thank you, really for all of it. We can finalize things at home I think. Gives me some time to plan, and for you to come up with another brilliant idea.” Charlotte added. “Phew, I think I need a bottle of water and a nap after that!” She laughed.

“It’s a bit overwhelming. Let me know if you want my help with anything else, ok? And yes, I will be writing up some ideas for you to look over, and devise a plan. Sound good?” She asked.

“Yes, it’s exactly what I was hoping for. And If it need your help, I will most definitely be asking for it.” She emphasized. Charlotte knew that things would only pick up for them from here, the travel the work… and hopefully Sidney. “In fact, I’m sure I will need it. In fact, organizing it for me might be the biggest help, learning how to manage it all.”

Clara nodded. “Yes, I’m sure it will, you won’t get anymore time in a day, and your days are already spoken for. Yes, I think this should work well for you, now go, relax, take a break. I’m sure you’ll be back at work almost immediately, when we get back home. Ok?”

Charlotte nodded and thanked her again as they stood and made their way back to their seats. 

“You keep disappearing, first last night, and now on the plane,” Sidney teased her with a wink as she sat down.

She exhaled a deep breath. “Yes, well, I’ve just been indoctrinated into social media by Clara. It seemed like the best course of action.”

“Yes, sadly it is a necessary evil in this business. Does this mean you have an instagram page now?” He asked curiously, and opened the app on his phone. He found her page as soon as she had said yes, and set his account to follow hers. He smiled at the photo from the day before. “What a day, you’ll need to tag me in this too.”

Her mouth dropped. “I haven’t learned that yet,” she said, and sounded exhausted from it all.

“Here, Darling, I’ll show you,” and he helped her with her page, showed her how to tag people and groups, and then handed her phone back to her. “Just be careful, once you start looking at pages, the photo history can be quite a rabbit hole.” She nodded.

He flipped through some of his own alerts. “I can’t believe they caught that?” He mumbled angrily. “Is there nothing sacred anymore?!” Now he started to sound angry, but he wasn’t loud.

Charlotte looked over at him. “The wink?” She asked.

“Yes! And now they’ve turned it into some kind of slow motion sequence. Ugh.” He uttered at the end. “They’re even sharing it on the F1 page with the photos from the podium! That wasn’t for them to share.” He was fuming. It was so hard for the two of them to have any privacy, especially before the race. He hadn’t even tried, they had both been so busy.

Charlotte placed her hand on his knee. He tried to calm himself, he should have known that the cameras would have been trained on him. He was in pole position for the race. With as much attention as he had always gotten, this had been an even more intense week than usual. “Dammit, I _really_ had not wanted to share that moment with anyone but you, Charlotte.” He was angry.

“But Sidney, you really did only share that moment with me. Whatever the cameras caught, it was _you_ looking at _me_ , I _know_ that.” She told him reassuringly. “It is still _our_ moment, even if other people see it.”

He looked up at her face as her hand moved from his knee to his stubbled jaw, drawing a small smile from him. “You really are some kind of brilliant, intelligent woman, Charlotte Heywood. How do you do that?” He asked her calmly.

She smiled a chuckled slightly. “Well, for _one_ , I had already seen it. And _two_ , it’s not far off from what Clara had told _me_ when I got a little upset by it.” She smiled a little wider. “But it’s still true. I know _that_ was for me,” she said and she looked down at his phone. “That is all that really matters.” She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss.

“It absolutely was only meant for you,” and he gave her a quick kiss in return before he suddenly pulled back and looked at her wide-eyed. “Shit, this means that your parents have seen this.” He looked caught. “Shit, shit, shit, shit shit! Your father is going to hate me,” he added factually and with fear. “Really and truly hate me, Charlotte, before I even have had a chance to meet him or your mother!… Shit!”

She tried to calm him by rubbing his arm closest to her, but he was not consolable about this. “Do you want to meet them,” she asked quietly. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe the meeting needed some distance. He was partially right. If her family figured out that wink had so blatantly been for her on the starting grid before a race, they would not be impressed. Well, Alison would be, but she would be the exception. Her dad would definitely not only be worried about his “little girl,” after her last trip home. He would also think it was “unprofessional.”

She bit her lip. “You are a grown man, Sidney, and I might be their daughter, but I am _not_ their property.” She said it almost defiantly.

Sidney sounded dazed. “But you do _work_ for them Charlotte, and they are _still_ your _parents_! I can’t ignore that, and neither can you.” He was thinking… it had been so long since had had his own parents around. Plus, it was not something he had ever even considered with other women, because he rarely even spent time with them for more than a couple days at the most. Usually it had only been a couple of hours. He rubbed his forehead with his palm as he looked down as he thought. “It was _careless_ of me. I was focused on the race, and I had barely seen you all day, and there you were with the sunlight behind you, you were so beautiful in your Parker shirt, so in charge and checking the mechanics working on the cars, and then I _knew_ you were looking at me, and I had missed you so much, and I wanted you to know that I was thinking of you…” he stopped rambling in order to breathe and he tilted his head back, his eyes worried. “I wasn’t thinking…”

“Oh Sidney,” she pleaded. “I _loved_ that moment between us! I _was_ watching you because I missed you _too_! I can’t have you thinking _badly_ of yourself because of it.” She hoped he would stop beating himself up over it.

“Even if I get past this, your father will never let me forget it, let alone Crowe and Babers.” He said resignedly.

As if on cue, “Hey Sid!” They turned to see Crowe two rows back. He laughed before he gave them both a hugely exaggerated wink, and George sitting next to him laughing until he had tears on his cheeks.

“Fuck-off, _Robbie_ ,” was all he could do to answer the gesture. The statement, and a hand gesture of his own to top it off before he turned back and settled into his seat. Crowe and Babers were still laughing, as were quite a few others who were seated around them.

“See what I mean,” he added quietly to Charlotte.

“They’ll move on and get over it. Really, it all seems so silly,” she added. “I’m sure my family will get over it too, _if_ they even figure it out, and they very well might _not_.” She said firmly. After a few moments of silence, she started giggling. Sidney looked at her hurt, like she was laughing at his conundrum. She stopped long enough to explain. “You might have to make it your ‘signature look.’ A sexy wink, into one of the cameras before every single race. Then everyone will get bored with it, or think it’s a good-luck sort of superstition.”

He stopped and looked at her with his head moving in a way that showed that he was thinking. “That might actually work… you are _truly_ brilliant, Charlotte!” He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her square on the lips. He added, “I’ll talk with Clara, run it past her and see what she thinks, but it just might work! Completely change the narrative!” He laughed. It was always fun to find a way to misdirect the press. It didn’t hurt that it might also save him more embarrassment, especially in regards to the Heywoods.

He smiled slyly and looked at her again. “You thought it was ‘sexy?’” He asked.

“How could I not?” She blushed as she answered. “I think everything you _do_ is sexy,” she laughed a little at herself.

“Oh… well, good,” he said as he smiled even wider, locking her eyes with his, and whispered. “I guess we’re even… again.”

Charlotte’s Party Look: 

<https://us.dolcegabbana.com/en/women/clothing/dresses/longuette-dress-in-jersey-organzine-green-F6I4RTHU7FIV0403.html>

https://www.bottegaveneta.com/us/sandals_cod11904100eg.html


	40. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, thank you to all of the authors who have had SO MANY incredible stories lately. Second, to the readers, I'm afraid that the stories have had me VERY distracted with all the updates. Which did NOT help me in getting this chapter finished. For that, I am sorry to have made you wait so long. I did not even respond to most of the comments on the past chapter, and still hope to do so. Thank you for your patience, and I hope this chapter, that is filled with thoughts and conversations, will be enough to earn your forgiveness. :) Thank you again for reading, and for all your comments!

Chapter 40

Trust

Sidney was pleased that he had been able to help Charlotte with her new social media accounts. Once they had been through Instagram, he walked her through Twitter, but that was still something of a mystery to him as well. But tagging and hashtags were easy enough to cover. It wasn’t long after she had sat down and they had finished, that Arthur came up and pulled her away as well. He understood. They had a lot from the past week to process and go over. They had ideas to exchange and plans to make for the week ahead. Despite there being two weeks between races, it meant that they really only had one week at home, actually less, to make any changes and adjustments to the cars for the next race. He knew that they had been in touch with the engineers back in Sanditon, and those engineers and designers were probably already hard at work with preliminary ideas and changes.

Diana soon came up to him and borrowed Charlotte’s empty seat. A quick review of how Tom had done during the week with her, helped set his mind at ease. Plus, his actions that Sidney had seen, looked to be in line with his more typical behavior. The win didn’t hurt, to be sure. In her typical Diana fashion, she ended her ‘report’ with, “He looks good for now, but I’ll keep up with him to make sure he is doing well. Don’t want any unexpected surprises.” Verify, anticipate, evaluate, and start over. She gave him a list that she had made up for the things she wanted him to work on for the coming week, and added, “Otis finally got back with me. It sounded like he had some kind of family emergency to take care of, but he will be back when we arrive. Expect to see him tomorrow. He knows you haven’t had any deep tissue work in awhile, and you definitely need it.”

“Happy to hear it,” he acknowledged. It had been far too long since he had a proper massage and stretch. He managed to get one in Melbourne, but it wasn’t on par with Otis’ work. It wasn’t easy to find a licensed massage therapist who was experienced at working with professional athletes, and definitely not in Sanditon. Otis had been working with him for a couple years, and had been very consistent with the appointments, until recently. A family emergency could easily explain the change in his availability.

“Also, food prep. We’ll work on that tomorrow afternoon. I also need to do some work for Mr. Heywood, so I’ll be doing that in your kitchen as well, if you don’t mind.” She added.

“No, of course I don’t mind, I am happy to help….Will you, erm… will you be bringing the items to him again?” Curious again, about how they had planned to keep Mr. Heywood well-nourished, how he could help, and also possibly find a way meet Charlotte’s family.

Diana studied his sudden lack of composure. “I arranged with a local caterer who was happy to get the extra work. They can deliver everything with the small refrigerated truck they have. Why?” She asked.

“Just… that it was my idea, and I feel like you’re doing most of the work, and I wouldn’t want you to feel like you have to do all of it on your own.” He said. Trying to cover his real intentions.

“Hmmm, I see,” she added cryptically, and not falling for any of it. “Well, I suppose we can discuss it with Michael and Charlotte, but I am quite sure they will not have time for a 'quick trip' home this week.”

Sidney nodded. “True,” and he dropped the subject. At least he dropped it out loud. In his head he was going over what Diana had said. _Any_ trips home, for the Heywoods, were going to be difficult to manage, and with Mr. Heywood seeing his doctors regularly and needing to stay home, the likelihood of them visiting Sanditon anytime soon was not in the cards. He had to admit, he was disappointed. He also knew the timeline they were facing, and ‘free days’ were not possible. He just nodded in agreement, and went back to her list of work outs for the week, and the things she expected him to do on his own time.

***

Charlotte had already sent an email to Timothy, and hoped he could come down to Sanditon for a few days, like Arthur wanted. Sitting separately from everyone, Charlotte and Arthur had both been looking forward to a full debrief of the race, and what they both noticed that they needed to work on for the next race. Sitting again in two of the empty seats in the rear section of the plane, she and Arthur discussed the track at Bahrain. Not unlike Australia, is was a medium downforce track, which meant what they had been working with in Australia would need some tweaking, but not a complete overhaul. The biggest issue would undoubtably be the tyre wear.

“Yes, it’s an island country, Charlotte, but the track is surrounded by desert. It’s all sand, all around it. Even the run-off areas on the tarmac are painted the same color as the sand. Between the wind gusts pushing the cars, the perpetual heat, and the sand itself, we will most likely need a two stopper race. But, we will look over all of that on the practice days. For development, we need to work on getting enough downforce in the corners, without too much so that it doesn’t eat up the tyres on the straights even sooner.” He paused for a few moments, thinking about what he had just said, and how true it all was. “It’s always a tricky track, but at least it’s tricky for all the teams and not just us.”

Charlotte was going over what Arthur had talked about, and looking at the specs of the track. It had some slight elevation changes, and it was a fairly evenly broken up into series’ of turns and a short straight in each of the three sectors. It was a track that worked well for overtaking, but it was also at a “Middle-East” level of hot, temperature wise. Combine thatwith the sand which was always blowing onto the track, it all meant that the tyres would need looking after. That usually meant for an interesting race for spectators. This was also the first night race of the year. Giant stadium lights were set up all around the track, and the track also had purpose built control centers for each team. The desert heat would be too much for the prefabricated buildings they popped up at the other races. Arthur had been right the first time they had talked about this race weeks ago. It would be like racing “on another planet,”especially after the lush park in Melbourne.

“Ahem,” Arthur cleared his throat, and leaned closer to Charlotte’s seat. This is also _Bahrain,”_ he emphasized _._ He caught Charlotte’s eyes questioning this clarification. “Now, Bahrain is fairly liberal by Middle-Eastern standards. Most unmarried couples can stay together while they vacation, even expats, as long as they stay under the radar. But I’m afraid after last week’s success, you and Sidney will be too well known to be able to stay in the same room, or the same suite, let alone hold hands or kiss in public spaces.” He blushed slightly at that last comment, but he had said it discreetly, and hoped that she had taken it without judgement. “I mean, I’m sure we can try and make something happen. Maybe adjoining suites or rooms, or at least across the hall, at the very _least_ we can get you on the same floor…” Charlotte patted his arm to try and calm him as he started to seem nervous at he continued.

“I understand Arthur. I’ll talk to Sidney about it.” She said quietly, trying to stop the slight blush on her cheeks, and smiled.

“I’m afraid he won’t like the situation very much,” he looked down the aisle to where Sidney was sitting in his seat and reading a book.“But I think it would be best for the team’s security when we’re here in the Middle East, _just_ for this race, and maybe Abu Dhabi, but that’s not until December,” he added quickly as he rambled again. “Mostly for _your security,_ Charlotte.” She nodded in return.

Things were just different for women in the Middle East. “The last thing I would want to do is jeopardize the team in any legal situations. It’s one thing to stay together quietly, it’s another when things could very easily be made public.” She chewed her lower lip as she thought of the long lenses they had seen at the airport and in the paddock area. “I don’t think the authorities there could ignore it even if they wanted to, if our staying together were publicized.” She shook her head. “No, we will be careful,” she added.She knew that the rules of conduct for tourists and Westerners were different from how they enforced rules and laws for their own citizens. At least when they were in the country to spend money, or to work, but if photos surfaced of the two of them staying together, or there was proof of it, that "flexibility of standards" would not hold.

“Plus, the hotel would not want a scandal, and should be very cooperative, they always are,” he added. “It would simply be a precaution so that we don’t put you at any additional risk.” He looked at her with his sweet brown eyes, truly filled with concern for her.

Charlotte grinned widely at his concerned thoughts, and how much he had looked after her since the Heywoods had been brought on board with the team. He did everything to make her feel welcome and respected. “Arthur, you are truly the best person I’ve _ever_ worked with.” She thought that he probably had to protect himself in countries such as Bahrain as well. She whispered quietly to him, “I suppose you know what it’s like… to be aware of social and legal issues in different places.” They had never discussed Arthur’s own personal relationship experiences, but certain things been implied.

“ _No!_ **_Me_** _?!_ Whatever would make you think _that_ , Charlotte?!” He had made sure that his body language translated that he was being overly-dramatic and sarcastic with his answer, before he laughed out loud. “True, I suppose I worry about you because I have had to worry about myself,” he added quietly. “But, now that _that_ is out in the open, you will let me know if you meet any nice men who may share my… personal preferences.” He added with a smile.

“Absolutely!” She returned his smile, happy that they had reached yet another level of trust between them.

***

Charlotte was finally back again in her seat on the plane. It was helpful to get some work done immediately, and corresponding with the factory in Sanditon with Arthur. They still had the same 24 hour flight, and so far, she had already spent almost 4 of them working. Between her time with Clara, and then her time with Arthur, she felt like she had accomplished more than she had expected to get done. Now she just wanted to spend some time with Sidney. He had already finished with Diana when she returned, and now he was putting information into the calendar on his phone for the week ahead. Once finished, he clicked off the screen, leaned back and let his head fall back on the headrest, looking up and taking a breath.

“Why does this feel like an entire day has already passed?” He looked over at her and smiled as he said it. “Oh, I know _why_ , because you have _barely_ been in the seat next to me.” He smiled even wider after he said it, when he saw her blush slightly.

“I know what you mean though,” she answered. “Between Clara and Arthur, this does feel like it’s been a full ‘day at the office.’” She paused watching him look at her. Biting her lower lip, she said. “Maybe it’s time for plane-friendly date?” She asked with her eyes brightening.

“Plane friendly?” He asked skeptically. If she wanted to do any kind of mile-high club, he would have to tell her no. There was no possible scenario where he would be able to relax enough with his family nearby for that to happen. At least not when they were traveling with them or with her brother. On another occasion though… and his thoughts started to drift into dangerous territory.

“Yes, like a movie with our lunch, or after. Just the two of us watching something so that no one else disturbs us, or pulls one of us away,” she explained almost innocently, from where Sidney’s thoughts had been.

His eyes showed surprise as she pulled him out of his dark thoughts. “A movie! That sounds lovely.” He smiled softly and leaned forward to at least claim a kiss from her lovely pink lips. He inhaled her orange blossom scent that he loved, before pulling back to look at her, and then his brows furrowed.

“Is something wrong? We could always play cards, or some other game if a movie’s not your thing.” She added quickly.

He reached for her hand, “no, no, the movie sounds lovely, it’s… I just remembered…” he shook his head slightly and swallowed. “I remembered that I’ll have to take you home, to your flat, when we get back to Sanditon.” His eyes searched hers. It felt like a gut-punch, the thought of not bringing her back to his house and installing her there permanently. They had spent every spare moment together, every night at least, when in Melbourne. It felt like now they were taking a step back, and he suddenly felt very unsteady.

“Oh.” Her eyes widened as he said it. With all the other things that had been on her mind, she hadn’t thought of this yet. She looked away toward the desk next to her seat in the pod. “Oh, right… I …”

He didn’t let her finish. “It’s just, well, I would much rather bring you home with me,” he said cautiously and quietly. She turned her face to look back at him. The look she gave him helped him feel some relief. She did not seem insulted, or scared by his sudden need to have her near him as much as possible. Instead she showed him her sweet small smile.

“It does feel strange, doesn’t it. Suddenly staying so far apart from each other, after the past week.” What she said was exactly how he was feeling, and he relaxed and gave her his boyish half smile in return.

“It does,” he said with a small laugh. He grabbed her hand now with both of his. “Charlotte, this last week has been one of the best of my life, certainly the best week of my _adult_ life.” He added. He had some lovely memories with his parents and his siblings that would always be essential to him, essential to his memory of who they were. But this, with Charlotte, was coming in a very close second. “I only hope we will keep building up from here.” He added, hoping he hadn’t offended her.

She was still smiling, and then she nodded, which was a good sign. “I completely agree.”

“Good, good…” he was relieved and released a breath he had been holding. “I erm… I would like you to stay over, at my house, soon,” he added quickly, but also hesitantly. “Hopefully the day after tomorrow?” He explained. One night apart might be all he could take, he thought.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded, her eyes smiling at him. “I would like that,” she whispered. “And you can always stay at mine.”

He smiled. He liked the idea of coming to her flat and ravishing her in that opulent room. I almost looked like a movie set, he thought. Undressing her from some kind of formal wear with her hair pulled up, and off her neck was quickly in his thoughts… “Maybe, but if Michael’s there, maybe not…” That realization had practically talked him out of it, but the previous thoughts were still hanging around. Her brother in his own room down the hall was feeling a little too close for comfort, not unlike the situation they currently had on this plane.

“Hmm, you’re right. But once Georgiana is back…” She added, her brows starting to furrow.

He grunted and put his hand through his hair in frustration. “God, I didn’t even think of that, but we still have a couple months. Then she will travel with us this summer, maybe into the fall if she takes her gap year…” He was thinking out loud. “And she usually stays in a suite with me so I can keep an eye on her,” he groaned and then cursed under his breath as he buried his face down with both his hands now in his hair.

“Sidney,” he felt her hand on his arm and he looked up. “We will find a way,” she said simply and looking at him with her deep dark eyes. So wide and open with her thoughts, it felt like she could look into his soul, and he could read her thoughts at the same time. It was almost unnerving how quickly she had been able to undo him. He relaxed and pulled his hands from his now disheveled hair. She smiled at him. “I like your hair like that,” she said and reached her own hand through the front of his locks. “Reminds me of what you look like when you’ve just taken off your helmet,” she said wistfully.

He looked at her trying to understand where she was going, but it was clear from her expression and the way she touched his face and ran her hands through his hair, that she like it. He smirked a little. “Does it?” He asked, hoping she would say more. She nodded.

“Yes,” she looked down at his eyes from where she had been looking at her hand playing with his hair, still smiling slightly. “It reminds me of the first time I saw you take your helmet off. Maybe not the first day of testing, I was in my own world that day,” she added quickly. “But the second day or third,” her voice softened as she thought of the memory. “No, it was the second day, it was sunny, you pulled yourself out of the car, and…” she paused a moment, almost embarrassed.

He leaned closer to her. “What, Charlotte,” he whispered alluringly. His eyes trained on her face as he smiled. He wanted to know what she had thought about him in those early days after they met.

She smiled sheepishly, her fingers still playing with his hair. “…. aaand, when you unbuckled the strap of your helmet and slowly pulled it back,” she was talking through the memory now, savoring each part. “It was like my insides flipped over when I looked at you.” She lowered her hand and drew her index finger along his jaw toward his chin. “I’d never seen someone so handsome, so strong, so capable, so quick…” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. He could not control himself, he couldn’t stop himself from the passionate, and completely inappropriate kiss he started. There, in the middle of business class, with everyone around them. He only hoped they were all to busy to notice, because he did not care. He did not care if they saw him put his hand on her back as he pressed her body tightly against himself, despite the stupid barrier wall. He found a way to shift in his seat to allow for his other hand to hold her head under her ear as he slipped his tongue between her sweet lips. She really was going to be the death of him, he thought. She was all he thought about, and everything that he wanted. She had become his primary motivation.

“Ahem,” a deep voice cleared his throat over Charlotte’s shoulder. Sidney pulled away and saw Babington smirking at him. “It seems I am interrupting,” he added formally but with amusement, his smirk firmly in place. “Though, with your level of self-control Sidney, it _might_ be considered a _good_ thing.” He added in an exaggerated whisper, his eyes twinkling at his friend’s embarrassment.

Sidney snapped back. “What do you want, Babers?” His terse delivery mimicked the annoyed anger in his eyes.

“Well… I was hoping to have a few moments with Dr. Heywood, but later, obviously,” He added quickly. “I happened to notice that there are quite a few on board who have needed her expertise since we left Australia.” He was all business, even though the subject he wanted to talk about with Charlotte was anything but. He was not sure if it would help to talk to Charlotte about Esther, but he had to at least try.

Charlotte had already reached up to wipe her mouth, and had straightened her shirt. George was standing behind her, and could not currently see the blood rushing to her face. She licked her lips again before she straightened a little. She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Of course George. We were just going to watch a movie, so perhaps later, after dinner?” She asked.

“Thank you Charlotte, that would be lovely.” He smiled kindly at her, as he noticed the deep blush on her cheeks. He looked up at Sidney’s still glaring face and nodded as he said, “Sidney.” He turned to walk back down the aisle, but before walking away turned his face back over his shoulder and looked at Sidney with a smirk. “As you were,” and walked away, chuckling lightly as he went.

A few more moments later they could hear Crowe’s laughter mixed with Babington’s in their seats a couple rows behind them. Sidney shook his head. “So help me _god_ , if those two start anything, I will most certainly _finish it_!” His anger was boiling, but had spoken so that only Charlotte could hear him. “I don’t care if we _are_ on the _bloody plane_!” Charlotte placed her hand on his arm and he looked at her. It calmed him. “I’m sorry Darling, It’s…”

She interrupted. “Frustrating, difficult, annoying…?” She smiled at him. “They might as well be your brothers, they way they act,” still teasing him. “Just wait until you meet my sister Alison,” raising her eyebrows. “She has absolutely _no_ concept of boundaries or personal space.”

His half smile was back. “You want me to meet your sister?” He asked her, pleased with himself.

“Shockingly, yes.” She teased. “More because of _her_ than because of _you_ ,” she added with an uncomfortable laugh. “She puts Robert and George to _shame_ , with her own questions and innuendos. At least George still manages to behave like a gentleman.”

Sidney would have scoffed at his friends acting like gentlemen, but he was still stuck on what she had said before that. “So, backtrack with me just a minute… you _do_ want me to meet your family?”

Charlotte seemed surprised. “Why, yes, of _course_ I want you to meet them, Sidney.” She watched as his smile grew wider showing his beautiful teeth. “Granted, with the two of us dating… they may not take too kindly to you at first, but then again, neither did I.” She teased him and laughed a little. “Although, I think the feeling was mutual,” and she winked at him.

He dropped his gaze as he grinned, a little embarrassed. “True,” he looked back up into her eyes. “I will say this, though… as soon as I found out who you were, after my _brutish_ behavior made such a _terrible_ first impression.” He paused a moment, thankful that she smiled at him. “I was intrigued by you. At least once we had a moment to talk at the lunch, and I did what I could to try and apologize.” He looked at her again. “I was thoroughly intimidated, if truth be told, and everyone liked you instantly. I thought Arthur might even ‘ _change sides_ ’ with the way he was going on about you, and he is a very good judge of character.” Luckily she giggled a little at what he said, and it helped him relax. “I think you scared me from the beginning, and I practically refused to like you… Maybe because everyone already did. Maybe it was because I could not control my attraction to you. Maybe it was because we had pinned hopes on other partners over the years with mixed and even disastrous results.” 

She had to interrupt him there, “Sidney, we had a very rocky first day. Well, a rocky first week… but it’s changed to something _so_ very different now.” Her eyes softened his guilt over how everything had gone in the beginning. “I know you have your boundaries, and I know some of the reasons why, but I think there are things we probably need to talk about before I hear about them from everyone else.” There was the question, or statement, or open door she had been meaning to broach with him for awhile. Things about his parents, Edward Denham, and the fiancee he had many years ago. She reminded him he wasn’t alone. “And I have things I probably need to share with you as well. At least so that we can understand one another better.”

She watched as he nodded and grinned slightly. She wasn’t sure where all this was coming from, but when he mentioned her family, she started thinking about his family, and the things she knew about them, and then the things she had heard. What was her name again? The girl Clara had told her about… Eliza. Best to not say her name or bring it up too much, and hopefully he would open up about his past. He had mentioned it before, but not with much detail. She could Google all of it, sure. She just didn’t want to find out that way. She wanted Sidney’s side of the story before she heard anyone else’s.

He nodded. “OK, that’s fair,” he took a deep breath. He had suspected that Arthur, or others may have said somethings about his past. If this was the first real relationship he had had for 7 years, it would be wise to choose to do things differently. “Yes, maybe when we get home, we can plan a day, or an evening, and lay some of our cards on the table.” She smiled in return, and grabbed his hand, threading her fingers between his. She heard him sigh slightly.

“Baby steps, maybe. A little at a time for both of us. That way we don’t have to wade through everything all at once.” She said, and he chuckled a little darkly.

“ _True_ … Always with the brilliant ideas, Dr. Heywood.” He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers.“Now! What movie should we watch for our ‘date?’” He smiled at her, but in the back of his head he was trying to decide what to deal with first. The death of his parents, Reggie and his eventual death and the responsibilities with Georgiana? Or, should he simply head straight into Eliza territory. But, she had said she wanted him to meet the rest of her family, and that warmed him.

Then again, maybe she had questions, maybe she already knew what she wanted to know about first. He reached for his water as she started a movie on the one of the screens in front of them, moving it so that they could both see it clearly. He gulped from the water bottle, trying to calm his nerves. It always came back to the fact that he knew he could trust Charlotte. He knew he could talk with her without feeling judgement. No one else had ever done that for him before. Not since his parents, or Reggie. And what were the things that she wanted to share with him? His mind started going places that it shouldn’t. He took a deep breath. He took another large swig before she turned to smile at him, and snuggled in against his shoulder. It would be fine, he told himself. She would be fine, they would be fine. He just had to keep building that trust between them… even if it terrified him.

****

Clara had been practically floating during the flight after her conference with Charlotte. it might help to make what she wanted to happen, happen. She also worked on similar projects with James once she and Charlotte had finished. She had pulled James away from the television series he was bingeing, for his own personal PR tutorial. He already had a decent social media footprint, so he did not need as much hand-holding to get things set up. She did make him clean up his posts and photos, as well as his friends lists. She still had more to investigate there, but it did not seem to be the time or place, she thought. He was still flying high after his podium finish, and rightly so. No, better to let him enjoy it a little. But it would need to be broached this week, and made a plan to meet him for lunch for Wednesday in the Cafeteria, and a meeting afterward in her office. She knew there were things there under the surface that he hid so well under his polite, and even shy, exterior.

“Just so you know, James, I will need to know as much about your driving and family history as you can tell me. I can promise you that I am a vault with that type of information. A confidentiality clause is actually part of my contract, so if you have things you don’t want the press to know about its best to let me know what those are first.” She explained. She did not want to ambush him. She watched as he nodded and his eyes looked more concerned. “James,” she whispered softly. “I have things in my own past I don’t care to relive, believe me. Where I am right now, in Sanditon, is the happiest, or at least, most secure and content that I have ever been. I understand some things are hard to talk about, and I don’t need every detail, just the things that may come up when reporters do research about you, or interview family and friends.” She hope that would help quell some of his concerns.

He gave a small half grin with a small laugh. “Family and friends… that’s the trouble though, isn’t it.”

She chuckled a little at his joke. “Seems you already know what may come your way,” and she continued to smile softly as she examined his face. There were things hiding there that he did not want to talk about. She gently squeezed his forearm. “I promise, we will only talk about what you are comfortable with,” she added. She knew that she might need to pressure him later, but that was not something she was going to warn him about. That would happen only if necessary, but with James, she was 90% sure that their conversation later in the week would end up going in that direction. Now, it was time to reassure and help him relax. That was always easier than turning any screws for information. 

She was finally back in her own seat, she drank some water, and sprayed her face with a light moisturizing mist that she always traveled with. Things had gone so well with Charlotte, and only so/so with James. She decided to do some digging before Wednesday. There wasn’t very much on the internet, so she might have to ask the two Heywoods for some information on their driver, if they had any. Michael would probably be the best source. She was almost positive that James may have had some feelings for Charlotte, the way that he looked at her sometimes, so Charlotte would be the last person she would ask if it came to that.

Now that she was thinking of Charlotte again, her spirits lifted. She had already set her grand, particular plan in motion, and now that Sidney and Charlotte were not just co-workers but a couple to boot, she decided to take another step and send a quick email.

_Hello darling!_

 _Curious if you saw any of the race coverage this weekend? If you haven’t, I suggest you look up one of my co-workers at Parker Racing, Charlotte Heywood. Once you see her, and learn more about her and what she does, you’ll see why I think she would be perfect for your usual summer project, no? Contact me once you think you have a plan. I am sure she would be_ **_exactly_ ** _what the boss wants, but that will be up to you._

_Smooch! - Clara_

_***_

Babington had been anxiously watching the happy couple two rows in front of him. He saw them pause their movie when lunch was served. He saw when they finished that movie and started watching a sequel. He rolled his eyes when he noticed Sidney lean in to kiss her again, but he could only see that once he had been standing and leaning in a certain direction just so, in order to get a better view of their seats, and how far along they were in the second movie.

“For heaven’s sake, Babers! I’m beginning to wonder if you have a _voyeuristic fetish_. Is there something you want to tell me? Is a rehabilitation center needed in your near future?” Crowe was joking, but only half-so. He had never seen his friend so skittish, nor so interested in Sidney’s romantic habits.

George scoffed at him. “Of course not, Robert!” He had said it a little too loudly and a couple engineers and James seated near them had turned to look at what the scuffle was about.

“Well, if your problem is that you _prefer_ to be _watched, instead_ … your outburst will certainly help bring _that_ about,” Crowe laughed heartily at his friend.

Lord Babington rolled his eyes and shot his friend a look resembling fury, but not quite at that level. He sighed heavily. “If you _must_ know, I was hoping to speak with Charlotte on this flight, but she’s been busy with other work things, and Sidney is now _monopolizing_ her.”

“ _Monopolizing her?_ You mean her ‘ _man_ ’ is spending time with her… What exactly was it that you wanted to discuss with Charlotte, Babers? Issues with Sidney’s _race-winning_ car? Things that she needs to do better at _work_?” Crowe’s sarcasm was earning him more eye-rolling in return. “Oh, wait! Perhaps you wanted to discuss tyre compound choices and engine settings for Bahrain?” He looked at George pointedly. “Because any of _those_ things you could discuss with Sidney present, and with his valuable input, no?” He raised his brows at the evasiveness of his friend.

George was fuming at his own clumsiness in handling this particular situation, especially with Crowe as a witness. Sighing heavily again he knew he would have to come clean or Robert would harass him about it until they landed at Gatwick the following day. Shaking his head slightly, he said, “I wanted her advice about her friend, Esther.”

“Ahhh… that makes _much_ more sense. You’re not _nearly_ interesting enough to have a fetish like one of _those_ ,” and he laughed again. Once he composed himself, Crowe continued. “I don’t think I’ve ever met this, _Esther._ How did you meet?”

“You haven’t, at least I don’t think so. Turns out she’s Lady Denham’s niece, she met Charlotte when they were at University together.” He explained.

“Is she another engineering genius, like Charlotte? Not sure you could handle that, friend.” Crowe said warily.

“No, very different, professionally, and well… in other ways. She manages Denham Dunes for her Aunt. Seems remarkably _sharp_ though, not unlike Charlotte in that way…” his voice became wistful as he thought of her. “And absolutely gorgeous, Crowe! Light ginger hair, with a hint of blonde in it. The way it catches the light… and green eyes, she is simply stunning. She has these lovely freckles…” he smiled thinking about her.

“Good _lord_ , you are _smitten_ with her, Babers. What is going on with you and Sidney, it’s like everyone around me is losing their minds!” Crowe was aghast at the changes in both of them. He shook his head. “If you already know her, I don’t understand what the problem is, and why you need Charlotte’s help.” This seemed like a solution in search of a problem.

Babington chuckled slightly. “Well, she has had some bruising experiences in the past, it would seem, and she is not in the market for a date. If you will. I tried asking her out, and she shut me down.” He motioned for the flight attendant and ordered a whiskey before he was served his dinner, he needed something to help calm himself down. With a tap on his shoulder from Crowe, he added a gin and tonic to the list.

Once the drinks had been delivered and the attendant left, Crowe asked. “You want to ask her out again. Are you sure?”

“I’ve never met anyone like her, Robert, she’s refined, intelligent, _gorgeous_ , and not afraid to put me in my place. She’s deliciously disdainful of me and my title,” he chuckled and took a drink from his glass. “I love it!” He shrugged, still laughing at himself.

“Oh, you _are lost!_ Why would you _waste_ your time?” He shook his head. “And you, a _Peer of the realm,_ no less. You would _think_ Lady Denham’s niece would look favorably upon that.” He added almost dismissively, as he took a swig of his drink. Babers was the best sort, if she couldn’t see that she probably didn’t deserve him, he thought.

“Well, I ran into her Aunt who left an open invitation to tour their wine cellar, with Esther. Just not sure how to go about it without scaring her off.” He pondered his dilemma.

“Wine cellar…? At least her _Aunt_ knows the way to _your_ heart,” Crowe chuckled into his rapidly emptying tumbler. The ice cubes clinked the bare glass as he set it back down on the tray. He watched the lonely lime wedge as it settled between the melting ice. “No, you’re right… If you want to know how to reach her, or at least not to _offend_ her, Charlotte is the one to go to.” He raised his hand to get the attention of the flight attendant again, ordering a second drink. He looked to Babers to see if he wanted another, and he was answered with a small shake of his head.

“Best to not be too deep in my cups when I talk with Dr. Heywood,” he said as a point of direction to himself as well as an answer to his friend. Plus, he still had some left in the glass he was swirling with his hand. “Plus, if you actually agree with me on this strategy, it’s probably the right way to go.” With that he kept his eyes on the glass as he tipped it back, emptying the contents in one quick movement.

Once Charlotte had finished her dinner, she turned to see if she could find out what Babington was doing and if he was finished as well. She patted Sidney on the knee. “I’m going to find George, I don’t think I’ll be too long, but if it starts reaching an hour, please come find me,” she said with a wink.

He laughed softly. “Definitely!” He said with emphasis, and leaned in for a swift kiss. “I might not wait that long though,” he said with a smirk. “You’ve had enough meetings today.”

“Yes, not sure what George wants to discuss, but hopefully it won’t take too long.” She gave him another quick kiss and stood from her seat. Babington must have been waiting for her, because he caught her eye as soon as she was visible from his own seat. She gave him a smile and a nod, took her tablet from the desk of her pod, and walked toward his seat. Crowe gave her a smile and a salute when she greeted them as she reached their seats. Charlotte motioned to the back seats of the plane, once again, and chose a quiet and private spot for their conference.

Charlotte quickly opened her tablet, ready to take notes, and had her stylus in hand, ready to make any sketches if necessary. George looked at how prepared she was to discuss work, and smiled almost guiltily at her.

“Charlotte, I’m afraid I may have misled you,” he said as he watched her eyes questioned what he had meant. He took a deep breath. “I asked for your time today on more personal matters.”

Charlotte momentarily panicked. Was he wanting to talk about her and Sidney? She knew that he had tried to rein-in Sidney a bit when they first started dating, which she supposed she should be thankful for; that he was looking out for her and her interests. It was not a gesture she would forget, or overlook. It was quite chivalrous, she thought. Not as an attempt to keep them apart, but as a way to make sure she was comfortable and not succumbing to Sidney’s undeniable charms too quickly. She had not been surprised to find out later that he had a younger sister who was in her first year of University. He was a truly kind and thoughtful person, she thought. But this “meeting” was still a mystery to her.

“I erm… I was hoping to ask for your advice.” He looked at her, and he noticed her smile slightly and relax a little, but she had a questioning look in her eyes. “As you may already know,I have found myself to be quite… _taken_ , with your friend Esther Denham.” Her eyes relaxed as he said it, and she looked upon him with a sympathetic smile.

“I know something of it, yes,” she acknowledged.

“I find that I cannot stop thinking of her,” he confessed and looked directly at her. It was a relief to say it out loud. “I am sure that I can trust your discretion, and I hope you know that my _intentions_ toward Miss Denham are nothing but the most _honorable_ kind.”

She could see that he was earnest in his speech, and obviously, truly ‘taken’ with her beautiful friend. But she was not sure how she could help, but she decided then and there that she would, if at all possible. “I can understand why you feel that way. In all honesty, it would only be the most secure and intelligent of men who would see all what Esther has to offer. She has been a great friend to me, and also to my family. She is practically an honorary Heywood,” she smiled and then leaned closer toward him. “But don’t tell her Aunt that, she would vehemently disagree.” She teased, and he laughed lightly in return. “A small estate does not compare well in her world with a large property and a title. At least on that front, I believe, you would be in good stead with Lady Denham.”

“No, I have known Lady Denham for many years, my father and I used to golf at the club when he visited. She was always very… _accommodating_ when he was there.” He added with a twinkle as he thought of their interactions over the years. He grew more serious. “However, it is her _niece_ that I am most interested in nurturing some kind of relationship with.” Charlotte nodded in response. He was suddenly at a loss for words.

Charlotte noticed his awkward silence. She bit her lip and decided to speak. “Esther, you may know some of this from working at Parker’s. Well, her brother, Edward, was extremely careless…”

He laughed. “That is too kind a way of putting it Charlotte. He was a _swindler_ , a grifter of the worst _sort_ … I know that their family was left in difficult circumstances.”

She grinned at how vehemently he took on Esther’s same opinion of the situation, even if he didn’t know it. They really could be well-suited for one another, she thought. “No, you are quite right George. This was… what, almost 3 years ago, I think? It was just as Esther was almost finished with her Master degree at Southampton. She barely made it through the final examinations.” She added quietly. Thinking about how horrible it was and Charlotte had already left for Boston. She had always felt that she had left her friend in the lurch, just as she needed her the most. “She came back to Sanditon just as things were at their worst. She had always planned to help run the family business, had studied for years to do it, and then she didn’t even know if they were going to be able to keep the property, let alone keep the club going.” She took a deep breath. “She’s worked exceedingly hard to hang on to what they have, and has done a remarkable job growing the business at the club as opposed to losing everything.” She grinned thinking of her. “She is an incredible person, with extremely high standards, not many people can meet them anymore.” It was true, even if she didn’t agree with all of Esther’s tactics to keep people from getting too close.

  
“Yes, I knew some of that, from the Parker end of the debacle. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Esther and her Aunt…” He mused on how the combination of Esther’s fiery temper, combined with Lady Denham’s sharp eye, and he imagined equally sharp tongue, must have lit up Sanditon House with their anger. His eyes grew as she shook his head slightly just thinking on it. The betrayal must have felt complete. The aftermath from Edward’s exploits were a true breach of family and loyalty.

“She has great difficulty trusting new people now.” Charlotte licked her lips and bit the upper one deciding what to share and what not to. “Plus, the rehabilitation of the family accounts, along with the club has been her sole focus... For quite some time now.” She watched as George nodded his head in thought. Taking in what she was saying.

“Charlotte, would you consider me to be trustworthy.” It was a genuine question. He needed to know that he was coming across as he hoped he was.

“Oh yes, George! I know that Sidney considers and thinks of you as another brother to him. Possibly even closer than his real brothers,” she added quietly at the end. “And we both know that Sidney doesn’t trust new people easily himself,” she added with a small grin.

George laughed. It appeared that Charlotte was starting to understand Sidney very well, and he was happy for his friend. His face became serious again. “Thank you, I hope I will be able to find a way to show her that... You see, one of the last times I was there golfing, I ran in to Lady Denham, and then Esther. I mentioned the dinner we had all shared, and the wine. Lady Denham invited me to take a tour of the wine cellars, but with Esther, not her. It wasn’t her idea, and we’ve been so busy with work, but I been hoping to accept the invitation. I even bought a few extra cases of the shiraz we had in Melbourne to bring as something of a peace offering… what do you think?”

His eyes were so hopeful, she could not do or say anything to deter him. Perhaps just a warning, to help guard himself if he couldn’t break through Esther’s walls. She took a deep breath. “I think you should arrange for the tour.” Thinking for a moment she then continued. “And bring the wine with you. Lady Denham will appreciate it, and if you can convince Esther to try some, and she likes it, she might be impressed. If she doesn’t like it, then it might just sink the endeavor entirely. But if you brought something very expensive, and obvious, she would think that you are either trying too hard, or that you don’t know enough about wine to pick something unique.” George was nodding. “She’s rather difficult to impress.” She watched as George’s brows grew tighter and tighter. No doubt, mentally going through his personal cellar’s inventory,trying to choose the right one. “But, if you liked the wine, and I can say that I personally appreciated it as well, especially when it was served with the lamb… it was quite good.” She added with a smile. But her taste was not Esther’s. Either way, he knew he was taking a risk.

“All very good points, Charlotte. There is much to think about, and not much time to waste.” He was weighing all of his options. “I may have an idea that could work… you’ve given more help than you know Charlotte.” He smiled at her. “Oh, and the flowers… do you know if she liked them? I thought the peonies would complement her complexion. She really is quite beautiful.” He smiled softly as he thought of her. 

Charlotte became even more hopeful for George at his uncanny observations. “The flowers, George, were perfect. The vase, however,made her a little nervous I think…” and he flinched a little.

“I did wonder if that might be too much… Dresden is beautiful, but large pieces are hard to come by…” He shook his head a little, almost speaking to himself. “Nothing else went so well with the flowers, and I really couldn’t think of sending her anything less.”

Charlotte smiled at how much thought he had put into the flowers, especially since he had managed it all by the following morning. “More than anything, they were beautiful, and she was certainly surprised at what an adept choice you made." She paused and decided to share just a small tidbit of information. "She happens to love peonies.” She was breaking one of Esther’s rules, but after that declaration she felt George deserved it. “The light pink ones, in particular, are her favorite, then the white ones. She grows loads of them, so I am certain the vase will get plenty of use.” She added with a smile.

That cheered him and he sat up a little straighter and smiled. “Thank you Charlotte, I may have to send apology flowers in the near future, if the _tour_ doesn’t go very well, and we still have a matching vase at home.” He chuckled lightly, and tipped his head slightly. “Might as well make sure she has the complete set,” he added with a wink.

She laughed with him, shaking her head at his blind generosity, and he thanked her again before they made their way back to their seats. Thinking about Esther, and all the difficulties she had in the past, Charlotte felt that someone like George was just what she needed. She truly felt torn. She was beginning to have very warm feelings toward George, especially after that conversation, and all the things Sidney had told her about their friendship. But she had also given Esther her word to support her and her decisions.

He was exactly the type of man that Esther deserved to have in her life. But was she ready for it? Charlotte wasn’t so sure… and there was certainly no way of forcing Esther to do anything. Even her Aunt could only get away with so much. It might be time to drop some subtle, and not so subtle, hints to her dearest friend. She was entitled to have some happiness in her life, and so much of it had been one crippling loss after another. It would not be easy, but Babington did not look like he was even close to giving up. That might be the key. Every one of her other suitors had given up. They were too weak for Esther and what she needed. She needed strength, loyalty, stability, and unshakeable integrity in a man. Only someone that trustworthy and sincere, as well as determined, would be able to withstand the trial of getting through to her. And once they did, Charlotte thought, there would be little left standing in their way. She smiled as she sat down in her seat next to Sidney. He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it, smiling at her with a wink. She smiled back as he looked back at the book he was reading. She felt hopeful for her friend as she leaned back into her seat, closing her eyes and resting her head. She was now fully convinced that Lord George Babington, might be _just_ the man for the job.


	41. Places

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting for this chapter, and for all the kind comments on the last one.

Chapter 41

Places

Long before her employment began at Parker Racing, Clara had made her way through several jobs. No college education, and barely her secondary-school certificate, she had moved out of her family home as soon as she turned 18. Moving to a miserable flat outside of London with several roommates, she landed a job in retail sales, for which she was a natural. She was soon recruited to work at a large department store, and then as a merchandiser for a designer, who then had her modeling for local print ads. It was then, that she had been recruited once again, this time to work as one of _many_ assistants _to_ the Assistant, _to_ the Creative Director, for one of the UKs biggest fashion magazines. The pay was terrible compared to her commissioned sales position, but the designer clothes were free, and she was able to work with like-minded, artistic and ambitious individuals. Plus, she was finally having some actual fun in her life.

It was at one of the many launch and publicity parties that she was invited to, that she had met Edward Denham. She was beautiful and elegant, as far as he could see. He was titled, and spoiled, and liked to share his fast lifestyle with beautiful women, such as herself. She had a way of drawing him in that he could not deny, so he didn’t. It was a match made in superficial ideals, and at that time in her life, it was exactly what she expected from men. Just at a higher degree of convenience and in better accommodations. Her life at the time when she met Edward, had been the most stable she had ever been. She had a rewarding job, genuine friends, and places to go where she could enjoy her youth and beauty while she still had it.

Slowly, he had ‘worked’ her. Made her more dependent upon him. Made her feel that her self-worth was wrapped up in what he thought. Edward had convinced her to move to sleepy Sanditon, helping her to get the interview at Parker Racing, and keeping her close by and away from anyone else who might try to take her away from him, but it looked like she didn’t have any family who cared much, so it was easier than he expected. It had been a power move, a way to control her, and a way to slowly make her life revolve around him and a silly office job. Where she probably wouldn’t last very long, he presumed. Then, she would be dependent on him for everything. He had wanted her to move in with him right away, to keep her all to himself, but she wouldn’t have that…yet… he thought.

It took less than six months before everything was turned to ash. A result, brought about by his own arrogance. It was his own criminal disgrace and negligence that had driven them apart. She- disgusted with how careless he had been with his own money as well as his family’s. When you grow up with nothing as she had, it was a disgrace to throw money away the way he did. To be so _incapable_ of measuring the risks he was taking, and to not even care about the consequences, or the people he hurt was even worse. He- a pariah among everyone who he had known who still had a conscience. Still able to live comfortably off of commissions he had made and placed in a Swiss account. Just not living in England, where he would be recognized from the photos of his downfall in all the papers. _ALL_ the papers, the reputable and disreputable. The coverage had been all-encompassing. Instead, Clara only knew that he was somewhere on the continent. As long as he stayed out of her life, she didn’t care where.

She had felt like a phoenix rising from the burnt remains of the embarrassment of that disastrous relationship. She had left everything she knew in London. Now she was in this seaside town, working at a company that her now _ex_ -boyfriend might have sentenced to *Administration, but the Parkers had found a way to get through it. She didn’t know how, and she didn’t care. Instead, she felt like she owed them her life, as well as the livelihood her job provided. She had always flown without a safety net. No family money, no family worth speaking about really. Instead, after the way Edward had treated her, had used her, she did not want to return to London, broke and also broken. Sanditon had felt like a vacation from the life she had always led. Dirty streets, dirty housing, and dirty men. She would not go back to that existence. Instead, she gave the best she had to offer to the one place that she felt deserved it. The one place where she felt that her mind was valued instead of her body. The one place that had given her a _real_ opportunity when no one else would. And the one place that understood how much she had suffered at the whims of her deadbeat boyfriend, because _they_ had suffered it as well, Parker Racing. Now, she felt that she had a chance to repay some of the security they had given her. She felt that she _finally_ had the opportunity to use some of her experience and her contacts. To share a part of her new life with her old life. If it would only just work the way she hoped it would…

Charlotte had done an interview sitting on a stool in the large, two story entrance and lobby to the Parker Racing headquarters. The F1 production team, along with the reporter who was now on a matching high stool next to her, had moved the meeting to the early morning. Rain was expected in the afternoon, and they wanted to capture the modern lines of the building with sunlight, and not the pelting sounds of rain hitting two stories of glass walls. Charlotte was happy to get it over with early. It was only Tuesday, and somehow Clara had managed to squeeze this into their schedule to save her from having to do it in Bahrain next week. Plus, tonight she would finally be able to stay with Sidney for the first time at his place.

Clara had clearly drawn boundaries for the interview. The questions were heavy on her education, her experiences working in F3 with her family, what it was like completing all of her milestones “very early in life, unlike us regular folk,” as the reporter said it almost jokingly. Apart from that, she had been happy with how things had gone. She was able to briefly talk about what they hoped to accomplish, and what some of their goals were. With a win already under their belt, that part had already been accomplished. Now, it was to keep going, and to keep working on improvements, upgrades, and innovations. Nothing was asked about her father’s health, or any other personal relationships. Clara had been adamant about that in the pre-interview phone call. They had done a short walk and talk in the back of the Engineering Department, and then outside the doors that led to the pavilion and the lake. Mostly for the idyllic scenery and a nice sweep of the modern and organically shaped building, she was told.

Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief when it was finished and they started to pack-up their gear. The smile and discreet thumbs-up she had gotten from Clara, had affirmed that it had gone well. When they had talked on the plane, they had decided to go to the most important outlets for an interview first, which put the F1 reporters at the top of the list. Clara had said that they would be selective, and not do too many. There was little point in repeating the same things over and over, once a prominent interview was made public. Which Charlotte was thrilled about. Less was definitely more in her books, and it allowed her to focus on more important things. They were still outside saying their goodbyes to the camera crew when her phone pinged in her pocket. She had only just turned it back on. Thinking it was Sidney she checked it right away.

Timmy Tot:Hey Lotts, where are you, I just parked out front

Charlotte fairly squealed when she saw it was her baby brother. “Oh Clara, I have to go! Timothy is here,” she said excitedly. Clara’s eyes showed that she might have heard that name, but wasn’t sure who that was. Charlotte clarified. “My little brother, he’s here to help the pit crew train.” Timothy had driven in to Sanditon today, as Arthur had requested, to spend the week working with the mechanics on the pit crew strategies and staging of the pit stops. That was Charlotte’s only regret at staying with Sidney tonight. That she wouldn’t be at Denham Place with both her brothers, like the old days she thought. But she didn’t regret it too much, because there was also no way that she was going to change her plans.

“Ah yes, I knew I had heard that name before.” Clara’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Run on and go meet him, I’m sure he’s dying to see his _wildly_ successful big sister!” She smiled and turned to finish up with the reporter and to answer a few follow-up questions that he and his producer had.

Charlotte walked briskly through Engineering, and jogged up the steps to get to the ground floor. She saw her brother’s tall figure standing near Dolores at the front reception desk. He smiled and laughed when he saw her, she walked faster until he had her wrapped in a tight bear hug, picking her feet up from the floor. Charlotte glanced at Dolores who was smiling at the welcome they gave each other. It was a far cry from the Parkers and their more formal way of dealing with each other, but they also got to see each other more often than the Heywoods did.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” Charlotte had really missed him, especially with all the events that happened with the team over the weekend. It had felt like the Heywoods were a little underrepresented. Either that, or she had just really missed her family.

“Lottie! Look at you! How is it that you seem to be taller?” He teased. “Must be that trophy that has you standing a little straighter,” and he poked her stomach to make her giggle.

“Stop, Timmy!” Charlotte then heard Dolores trying to stifle her own laugh. “Come on, let’s go see Michael, he’s downstairs. Looks like you beat the rain clouds.” They could see the darker clouds not far in the distance with the tall wall of windows behind them, and she looped her arm around his forearm to lead him down the long hallway.

“Only just, it would seem. So, how’s the jet lag?” He could not even imagine what it must be like to travel such a distance all in one go.

“Better on the way back, than when we got there, but the different seasons has been the most confusing. Spring here, all the rain, and things turning green, but there all the leaves were changing to their fall colors. And Palm trees, Timmy! It really was beautiful and exciting to be there.” She was still glowing from the trip and all the experiences they’d had. Professionally as well as personally.

Timothy smirked a little as his sister was clearly very happy at the moment. They were now down the hallway, and away from any other people on this ground floor. “I take it things are going rather well with Sidney?” His eyebrow raised as he looked down at her. He saw her blush before she even spoke.

“Yes, they are… I know you’re good at reading people, and practically knowing what we’re all thinking, but I _would_ appreciate if you might tuck that away a little bit while you’re here.” She asked. “Or at least, use it to give some pertinent team information to Papa, if it helps ease any of his concerns.” She bit her lip as she thought about him. “I’m sure that he has many,” she added quietly.

“Understood Charlotte.” He smiled at her. “I promise I won’t embarrass you in front of your famous boyfriend.” He teased, knowing it might be the last occasion to do so openly for while. He received the obligatory punch from Charlotte into the side of his bicep as retaliation.

“Ouch, your arms are even bigger than they used to be! You’re not taking anything that you shouldn’t are you?” She was shaking her wrist from the impact, and then narrowed her eyes and pointed her determined chin up toward him.

“No! Of course not! I’m surprised you would ask such a thing, with everything you already know… I’m not yet 21, muscle builds up more in men once they’re in their twenties. I’m not a little teenager anymore, I hate to tell you,” he winked as he teased her.

“Yes, I know… your birthday is just around the corner… you just seem to get bigger every time I see you lately.” She explained. “And no matter _how_ big you get, you will _always_ be my ‘little’ brother, whom I adore, and only want the best for.” She smiled up at him and he knew all her questions were all out of concern for him.

He took a deep breath and drew his chest up as he looked straight ahead at the door to the steps they were going to take. “No, I know… it’s just… well, I have been lifting a lot more. I put a bench and weights in the cottage. Sometimes, I can’t sleep, so I work out until I’m exhausted.” He finally looked back down at her. “You know, just worried about dad.” He shrugged.

She did know. “If I hadn’t been able to bury myself here in all this work, I don’t know that I would have been able to cope either. Sometimes the very late nights are a god-send.”

He pushed the door open to the concrete stairwell, and followed behind her down the two flights of steps. The door opening up to the Engineering Department, was pretty much how he had remembered it from the Heywood’s first day. It seemed busier though, maybe a little louder. There was even a “heated” discussion, as far as engineers went, about a disagreement regarding something they were working on. Which meant that the two people were simply whispering loudly as they pointed to different points of reference on their computer screens. It was in their body language though. He nudged Charlotte. “Is that anything you need to take care of?” He watched as her eyes narrowed at the two gentlemen, watching their interactions.

“Not sure…” she kept her eyes on the two of them. “Maybe so, there isn’t time to waste this week, and we can’t have things like this become a habit.” She pointed discreetly toward the windows on the far side of the open room. “You see Michael over there?” He nodded. “He can surely get you started,” and she looked back at what was getting to be a slightly louder argument. She took a deep breath. “I’m afraid this might take awhile.” She patted his bicep this time, and walked over to the design department’s work space to see what the issue was.

“Damn, Timmy! I see you’ve been hitting the weights pretty hard lately. It’s only been less than 2 weeks since we last saw you.” Michael saw his brother from across the room and walked over to meet him half way. A quick hug and a pat on the back, before his little brother responded.

Squeezing his arm, he said “I can see that you haven’t,” Timothy teased as they were walking back to Michael’s work area.

Michael chuckled sheepishly. “Uh, no. I should have made more time for the gym while we were at the hotel, but Melbourne is so amazing I didn’t want to miss anything while we were there. Did you know that they have penguins?! Right there on one of the beaches, St. Kilda. Really amazing. I don’t think Charlotte had the time to go, but if things keep going this well, or even half this well, maybe she can next year.” He was happy and enthusiastic about the trip. Things had gone even better than he had hoped, and Charlotte seemed happier than ever. Plus, James had really pulled through, and had delivered for the team and for himself. “Yeah, it was a good trip.” He smiled. Timothy squeezed Michael’s shoulders a little too tightly. He tried to hide his wince as his little brother spoke.

“Well if these past four months have taught me anything, big brother, it’s that you can’t ignore your health.” He looked seriously at his brother. “But I would have gone to see the penguins too,” he added with a smirk. “I can’t believe Charlotte _missed_ that, but I guess she was a little busier than you.”

“Ah well, you know, she shopped, did a big press conference that I didn’t have to go to, worked late with the mechanics in the garage… met Russell Brown and Lewis Hamilton. You know, just a regular week at work,” he smiled.

“Wow!” Timothy’s eyes grew wide. “I mean, we saw her on the telly chatting with Lewis on the grid before the race, but _Russell Brown!_ She must have been nervous! She’s always looked up to him.” He looked over his shoulder at where Charlotte was mediating and asking questions about whatever the conflict was between the two engineers.

“I think she might have been, I wasn’t at the table, she met him with Arthur, and Sidney. Old family friend, or acquaintance or something…the Parkers basically grew up in the paddock and at the tracks.” He had been a little disappointed that he missed that meeting, but assumed he would get a chance later.

“She talked about Arthur when you two were home, seems to be a good working relationship there.” He was purposefully avoiding the ‘Sidney’ topic for now.

“Oh yeah, Arthur’s great! Great engineer, and _really_ funny. He’s actually been really helpful to all of us from our little team.” Michael looked around to see if her could locate him, since Timothy had only met him briefly on their first day before he had left to go home. Instead, he noticed that Clara had come in the through the glass doors from the back of the building. She caught his eye, and did a combination wave/wait signal. Showing that she wanted to speak with him.

Clara had just made it inside as it had started to rain. She was swiping away some rain drops from her face, and ran her free hand over her hair a little, trying to keep the rain from destroying her professional updo. She rarely wore her hair down when she was at work. It only ever seemed to get in her way. Plus, anyone she dealt with throughout the day treated her differently the more professional she looked. She walked with fast short steps, as quick as her pencil skirt would allow, to where Michael was talking with someone who was looking over his shoulder to where Charlotte was working. “Michael,” she smiled softly and gave him her most inviting yet professional tone. The same one she used to use in sales. “I was hoping I could talk with you later, mostly about James and the types of interviews and publicity I am working on setting up for him.” The tall reddish-blonde man on her right turned at the sound of Michael’s name. She was still working on getting Michael to commit and did not turn yet to meet him. She was meeting with James tomorrow and needed as much information as she could get, and she knew she needed some help from Michael.

“Sure, Clara, when’s a good time for you?” Michael was happy to help James, and it would only help to bring recognition to the work that Heywood Racing had done before they came to Parker Racing. He noticed his brother shift his weight closer to him. “Oh, Clara, this is Timothy. He’s one of mine and Charlotte’s younger brothers.” He watched as Clara looked up and smiled, extending her hand. He also noticed that his brother shook her hand, and seemed to hold on to it a little longer than was usual.

“Younger? My…” Clara reacted as if she was almost taken aback. If he was even younger than Charlotte, he must still be quite young, she thought. He just didn’t come across that way, physically or otherwise. It was a reaction she had not anticipated. She was usually completely in control. Perhaps it was the obvious strength of his arms, or his height. He must be 6’5”, she thought. At least, possibly taller. Maybe it was because she could feel how strong his hand was as he shook hers, but handled her own small hand with great care. Dare she think… gently. These Heywoods were a surprising lot. That was all she could really think at that moment. He looked so different from Charlotte and Michael.

She regained her original train of thought. She glanced back at Michael once she had her hand back. “Uh… yes… James.” She found her words again. “I’m meeting with him tomorrow, to do some interview prep, and to define some boundaries for the questions, if necessary.” She noticed she was blinking more than she usually did, and cleared her throat. “I was hoping we could talk about his time at Heywood Racing,” she glanced up to her right again to notice blue eyes watching her, and she looked back at Michael. “Plus, as one of his friends, you might be able to help with some of his personal history.” Her eyes nervously glanced back at the tall younger brother. He must be _very_ young, she kept telling herself. _Too_ young. She straightened her back and focused more directly on Michael again. “Today, would be helpful,” she added. “I’m meeting him for lunch tomorrow.”

Michael looked at his watch. “How about lunch today, then?”

“That sounds perfect, Michael. Thank you for making time,” she smiled a little stiffly than normal.

“In fact, If you want to talk to one of his friends, Timothy here is closer with James than I am. Maybe between the two of us we can do more to help. What do you think Timmy? Are you up for a working lunch?” He smiled as his brother tipped his head down and turned to see him better.

“Sure, sounds great! Anything to help out James,” Timothy looked back at the gorgeous blonde in the tight skirt, as he smiled.

“Ah, well… that sounds… _very_ helpful,” Clara forced a larger smile than she felt. For the first time in almost 3 years, Clara felt her neck getting hot, knowing that her cheeks would turn pink soon if she didn’t move herself away from the younger, and rather handsome, Heywood. “The cafe?” She looked at Michael for confirmation.

“We’ll meet you at noon, then,” Michael smiled as she nodded in agreement.

“See you then,” freezing that smile to her lips she glanced quickly at Timothy before pivoting on her toes to walk around them and toward the elevator. She almost didn’t see Charlotte wave at her as she was still working with the design team, but Clara regained her surroundings in time to wave back and smile. She did not look back, walking even faster as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. The elevator was thankfully quick. Stepping in, she turned to look out the open doors after she pressed the button for the first floor to return to her office. Her eyes couldn’t help but look to where the two brothers were still standing. The younger one with his hands resting on his hips, as they spoke with one another. His broad shoulders stretching the tight grey t-shirt he was wearing with his dark jeans. As the doors were finally starting to close, she was still watching them when she saw him turn his head, and look directly at her. He _knew_ she had been looking at them! She could tell from the small half smile he gave her. She caught a quick intake of breath, and broke her stare so that she could press the button for the first floor rapidly, hoping that the doors would close faster.

***

“Read back what you have so far,” Sidney grunted as he spoke, since Diana was upping the weight for his squat sets that morning. He was enjoying the burn of his muscles as they pushed the weight up, and resisted the weight as it came down. It helped to put Charlotte out of his mind for a few minutes. That, and the fact that he hadn’t slept very well the night before, despite the 10 kilometers he ran on the beach last night before his dinner.

Babington took a deep inhale as he sat, shifting in his seat on the empty weight bench in Sidney’s home gym. He had just gotten off the treadmill, a 5K run had been a condition of being able to come over early to talk with Sidney. The small towel around his neck was now wiping the sweat from his brow. “Ok… Miss Denham..”

“Ok, right there… don’t call her Miss Denham…”Sidney felt like Babington had no idea how to do this, despite the fact that he had successfully communicated to women through text messages for years.

“Why not? My mother would insist that I was deferential and appropriate in my address to a young woman in the position that Esther is.” Maybe Sidney was not the man to consult after all, he thought.

Sidney pushed two lungs full of air through his mouth as he rose upward, the bar with the heavy plates on each end resting across the top of his back. Taking two deep breaths between sets, he answered. “Because, Charlotte said she is not impressed by titles, and if you behave as if you have a title, and you start calling her ‘Miss Denham,’ it reminds her that you have one.” He rolled his eyes as he started his next set of 10 squats.

Without answering, Babington clicked and edited the start of his text. “Ok… Esther, I have been remiss in not accepting your Aunt’s most generous invitation, sooner. I would like to set a date and time to see the improvements that have been made to the wine cellar in your establishment…”

“ **Stop** …” Sidney completed two more squats before stepping back enough to place the weight bar back on the squat rack behind him. He was a little breathless from the work, as he reached for his own towel, rubbing over his face and then the back of his neck. He had a bottle of his “rocket fuel” with him and sucked on the straw to replace some of the sweat he expended over the past hour and a half.

He sat down on an exercise ball. “Ok, type this… ‘Esther, I thoroughly enjoyed dinner at The Denham Club. I would like to repay the favor.’ You have those two cases you bought for them, yes?” Sidney asked.

“Yes, and I wanted to bring a few other bottles to offer a wine tasting. The Margaux she chose was really quite good, and I wanted her opinion of some of the wines I recently picked up from my dealer in London.” Babington explained and then he smiled. “I was even going to bring all the correct stemware with me,” he added smiling widely. Sidney tried to hide his eye roll, but Babington pointed at him. “I saw that Sidney! Don’t you dare make a joke out of this! Not after your own behavior when you wanted to ask out Charlotte! I might have to have a tell-all conversation with your lovely lady if you even _start._ ”

“You wouldn’t _dare_!” Sidney spat out after swallowing the drink in his mouth.

“If you can’t respect what I am trying to accomplish here, with Esther, I just _might_!” George liked having something on Sidney. He was always so collected. At least he had been until he met Charlotte Heywood. That he was even _trying_ to keep some of that pretense as a defense-mechanism, was almost laughable. “I mean it Sidney, you are my _best_ friend, I need you to take this _seriously_.” He said it with a certain amount of dignity, to reinforce what he said.

“You’re right, you’re right,” he said quickly. “What was the last part?”

“I would like to repay the favor…” Babington answered.

Sidney looked up as he thought. “Ok, change that… ‘I would like accept the offer of a tour of your wine collection. Your Aunt is most generous. And if you would indulge my own interest in the topic, I would also like to share some of my newer acquisitions from my wine dealer, in order to get your opinion.” There, it should at least still sound like him, even if those were words Sidney would rarely, if ever, use. “What do you think?”

George was grinning as he clicked the keypad on his screen. “Sidney, it’s perfect.” He looked up when he was finished. “Now how do I get her to pick a day?”

“You don’t. Narrow it down, and then let her choose _between_ two. That way, you know it’s when you’re in town and when you can be there. _But_ , you also give her the idea that she is in control by making the choice herself.” It was a technique that he had witnessed Mary use with Henry and Jenny. With as suspicious as Esther was, she might relax if she had some kind of choice. “ _But_ don’t let her go from the conversation until you get a definitive answer. You’re a busy man, don’t let her forget that your time is valuable, and that you want to spend the time that you have, with _her_.” That may be a pushing her a little, he thought, but women like men that know what they want, and at least he was being direct. It was what he had found in his own experiences, anyway.

“So, do I give the dates and times in the text?” Babington asked.

“No, ask when it would be a good time to call, and then call her precisely on time. Charlotte says she is a stickler for for promptness.” He reminded him.

“When have you ever known me to be late for something, Sidney?” He asked, annoyed.

“True, but in this situation, a reminder seemed important.” If he wanted him to take it seriously, Sidney was definitely going to take it seriously. He stood, and shooed Babington from the weight bench, and went to pick up some free-weights from the neatly placed barbells along the edge of the wall closest to the bench. “Do you want to work out more? There’s plenty here for you to do.” He asked with a grin, anticipating his answer.

“Ermm, no… I think I will work on one project at a time, thank you very much.” He added with a laugh. Babington knew he would never have the sculpted physique of his friend, but he also didn’t care. As long as he stayed fit enough to do his job well, and to stay healthy, that was enough for him.

“Well, I wish you luck, old friend.” He smiled, but in his head he added- you’re going to need it.

***

It was barely even 9 am, and Charlotte had already had to find a way to correct both of the design engineers, since the miscommunication had actually been based upon a mistake that they each had made. Where was Arthur, she asked herself. She took her phone out to check, since she had not looked at it since Timothy had text her.

Arthur: Sorry! Running late- have a repair to make on the mini- race car at Tom’s house :)

Charlotte laughed, thinking about the playroom for the nieces and nephews, wondering what the two who seemed to like it the most might have broken on it. She didn’t have to wait long. When Arthur arrived 20 minutes later, he had the miniature front wing tucked under his arm as he walked in. From where he arrived, it looked like he had come in through the lorry-bay doors, not far from their manufacturing area. The rain was now drenching the concrete and stone patio outside their story-high windows in the back. Once he got closer, she could see that the shoulders of his shirt were dotted with rainwater.

“Well, from what I understand, the team victory inspired Jenny and Henry to attempt to reenact the entire race,” he said with a laugh. “Of course, with _those_ two, there was the _inevitable_ argument about the sequence of events. A tug of war, of some sort ensued, and well, this happened.” He said looking down at the broken end of the wing. “Luckily the casualties were minimal,” he added with a wink.

Charlotte chuckled. “I’m sure we can fix it the next time we turn on the autoclave.” She looked at the piece that Arthur had in his hand that has splintered off. “Goodness, they must have been really arguing to do this kind of damage.” She examined it, and where the carbon-fibre endplate of the front wing had snapped-off. “We might be able to reinforce it, if you think it would help?” She looked up where Arthur was still chuckling and shaking his head.

“Still can’t figure out how they did it,” he said. “Heathens, those two, it’s a miracle the house is still standing.” Setting the piece down on his extra work desk. He added, “poor Mary, it’s like she’s given birth to a miniature Diana and Sidney.” He laughed a little louder at the thought.

“She must certainly have her hands full, then” Charlotte said as she laughed with him. “Oh, Arthur, now that you’re here, Timothy made it in early.” She turned toward Michael’s work space but they weren’t there any longer. She looked the whole department over, until she saw them talking with some of the mechanics. “Well, it looks like Michael already has him starting with the crew, but as you are the track engineer, you probably want to go and check on how they are doing things.”

Arthur made his way to where The mechanics and the Heywood brothers were talking. As he approached, he noticed that the very tall younger one, Timothy, had already caught their attention and was asking about how they were currently doing things with the pit stops. Arthur greeted him with a smile and then led the group through to the training area that was set up to practice, time, and film the pit stops for errors. A mock up of the car would be rolled into place, where dollies and the air guns were set up, just like on the pit lanes. It was ideal for practicing inside, a secure separate area for them to work, all the equipment was the same, and moving the life-sized car back and forth with out starting an engine allowed them to practice over and over, and make adjustments quickly. Also, cameras were set up at multiple angles so they could analyze how they were working together.

Arthur watched, very impressed, at how quickly Timothy seemed to assess some of the almost imperceptible problems that were adding time. He worked with each wheel team as they coordinated their movements. He replayed some of the recordings to show where they could shave some time, and then timed them as they practiced the new sequence. The change was obvious, but they still needed repetition, and work-outs they could do on a daily basis to keep fit. Timothy reminded them that “the drivers aren’t the only athletes at the track,” and that their fitness was critical for their job as well as for their safety in the pit stops. He would still be in town for the rest of the week, and meeting and work-out times were settled and planned until he would leave on Sunday, and before they left for Bahrain.

***

Clara smiled at one of the ladies from Accounting as she walked past and opened the door to her office. She closed it right behind her, leaning against it, and took a deep breath.She moved slowly to her desk, but instead of sitting, she stood behind the desk, pushing her chair with the back of her legs, hands on her hips. “What the hell was that?” She asked the empty room. She leaned forward and braced her hands on the edge of her desk, noticing that her right hand still felt warmer than her left, from where he had shaken it a few minutes earlier. She took another deep breath, shaking her head. “What the bloody hell was that?!” She stood and walked to retrieve a bottle of water from her bag, opening it and gulped the water almost for a distraction than anything else. She still felt flushed, and looked to the window and saw her barely-there reflection. Even in that that diminished copy of herself in the glass with the rain still coming down behind it, she could see the blotchy red skin of her neck. “Dammit,” she whispered softly and running her fingertips over her throat… “Dammit!”

As much as she needed to mentally process meeting Timothy Heywood, and the obvious physical reaction she was having; something that felt awfully close to anaphylactic shock. She also realized she really did not have anyone to talk to. Charlotte, yes, _if_ it had been anyone _other_ than her treasured baby brother. But that was all. Her family didn’t care, and couldn’t be trusted with anything that had to do with her feelings, or facts, or the truth in any shape or form. She had always been a loner, but out of necessity rather than by choice. “Pull yourself together, Clara Brereton!” She stood up straighter, and smoothed her blouse and tucked in it more snugly. The more restrained she felt, the more restrained she would act. “Silly girl.” She looked back at the window and the redness on her skin was starting to turn more pink than red. Still, a little extra makeup before lunch, perhaps applied to her neck and upper chest couldn’t hurt. Grabbing her bag, she left the office once more, and headed to the ladies’ lavatory for a preemptive touch-up. She would simply have to suck it up and find a way through, if the concealer and powder didn’t do the trick. 

Trying to talk herself out of what she felt had just happened, she continued to try and change her own mind. “It must _certainly_ be a one time thing,” she said softly. Carefully applying the flesh toned concealer from the tube in her hand, dabbing it on with the wand it came with. “He just took me by surprise,” she added. But people didn’t take Clara by surprise. Not anymore. Sadly, almost nothing that people did surprised her. It was one of the reasons she was good at her job. She was unaffected by shock-value. Mostly, because she already knew how to let her mind wander to the depths of venality that people like Edward could stoop, and even members of her immediate and extended family. Jaded. Once you are thoroughly jaded, she thought, you can imagine all sorts of horrible things that people will do, or attempt to do. Even if you find them abhorrent.

Timothy took her by surprise because she got nothing like that from him. A lot like Michael and Charlotte in that way. No ulterior motives, no gains to be made on the backs of others. But he was different from even the two of them. When he looked into her eyes, and touched her hand, it was like he had read her entire life story. Ridiculous, she thought. Someone like that would be horrified by her life story… but it was like he knew what she had suffered, what she had overcome, all with a quick glance. The details were irrelevant. Still, it felt like he had pegged her the moment he laid eyes on her. _That_ was what was so unsettling, she realized. The sudden and abrupt exposure. She was used to being on the giving end of that look, _not_ on the receiving end of it. She blinked quickly at her reflection in the mirror, stretching her neck up to check if she had evenly applied the makeup, before dabbing it with the powder from the compact in her hand. She took a deep fortifying breath. No! She would be damned if she let some man, _any_ _man_ , get under her skin!

When it was time to meet for lunch, she made sure she was early to get a table away from the more communal parts of the large dining room. She wanted to stay on task, and having some privacy to talk about James with out listening ears around them, would help the Heywood brothers talk. And that’s exactly how she would think of them. The Heywood brothers. Nothing more, and as partners this year with Parker Racing, she could end up working for them one day. This was just business, she kept reminding herself. Sipping the green drink in front of her, a bottle of water next to it, and with a boxed salad that she may or may not eat also waiting with her, she bided her time with slow regular breathing. She was ready for them at ten minutes to 12. She always had a small notebook if she needed it, but she had a good memory. And for conversations like this one, it was always better not to leave a paper trail if certain things came up that people would not want to share openly.

She didn’t have to wait long. She waved at Michael when they entered the cafeteria at 5 minutes to noon, and both of the tall handsome brothers were seated with their trays in front of them at Clara’s table before 12. Michael, thankfully, across from her, and Timothy just to her right. A little close for comfort, but as long as she kept herself composed, there was little chance that she would accidentally bump into him while they ate. And she did not have to look at him unless she needed to.

She asked them casually about their mornings, and how things were going. Michael did most of the talking as Timothy seemed to do more of the listening and observing, and nodded his head, or smiled sheepishly at any over-complimentary comments from his older brother. At least in those reactions he looked more his age, she thought. But Timothy’s bearing was confident, no doubt helped by the clearly developed musculature that held his body with a strong posture. She found herself pointedly avoiding looking his way unless she absolutely had to. But she was really here to find out more about James’ life.

“To reassure both of you,” and she let her glance look upward at Timothy just as he leaned closer to hear her almost whisper. “I am hoping to set up some interviews for James. There have been many requests, and I want to make the best decisions for him. Find the best reporters, but also be able to channel their questions into the right territories for him to answer,” she explained. “I haven’t been able to find too much about James’ history, with racing or with his family, so I am hoping that you,” she had been looking at Michael, and then briefly looked at Timothy’s dark blue eyes. “That the two of you might be able to help shed some light on what I think James’ is trying to keep private. Now, everything here is _strictly_ confidential, I am here to work _for_ James, and for the team, so everything that could be harmful, or might be upsetting to him are exactly the kinds of things I want to steer the press away from. But if there is anything there, I need to know what it is ahead of time in order to set boundaries, and I’m not sure how much James will open up to me tomorrow when we meet.” She took a long breath and noticed that Timothy leaned back in his chair but was still watching her, gauging her intent, she thought.

Clearly Michael had none of these reservations, but he had already known her for long enough, she thought. Timothy, seemed to be a little more cautious. “Of course, Clara, we’re happy to help. What seems to be the big mystery?” Michael asked before he even registered his younger brother’s hesitance.

“Well, anyone who follows this sport know that money is essential for young drivers coming up through the levels. No doubt, the reporters will want to know his history, who took him Karting when he was little, how did he get through to F4, and then in F3 with Heywood Racing. They will want to know details, cute family stories, etc.” She paused, “and then who his influences are, which drivers he admired in his youth… and of course there is always the personal aspect. Family and his support system through the years.” It was as general and also as specific as she wanted to start, and when she saw Michael shift a bit in his seat, she knew that her instincts about James’ history were correct.

Michael looked at his brother as he moved to lean closer to the table. It was the best table in the room for a private conversation, but he still did not want to be overheard. He also knew that Timothy was more likely to be reserved since he didn’t know Clara. She had proven to be a very good friend to Charlotte, and that was all that Michael needed to know in order toentrust her with some information.

“Well, James is an only child. Both his parents were teachers, his father still is. Head of History and Geography at the public school where he works. Very academic,” he added, and he also ignored the slight glare he was getting from his brother. “Well, his mum died when he was 9, I think, and it was really hard on them… James had already been Karting since he was a really young lad, but it wasn’t his dad that supported him. It was his mum. So when she died, it was really difficult for him. Lost his mum, and his favorite thing to do all in one go, you see.”

Clara nodded. Her voice showed the level of her understanding when she spoke softly. “Oh, I see… poor James.”

“Exactly,” Michael added. “So his uncle, the husband of his mother’s sister took him under his wing and sponsored him… except he and his father don’t really get along, so they fought about it a lot. Mr. Stringer was adamant that James quit Karting, and keep to his studies. But James was always one of those kids on his bike, and climbing trees, playing football with the other kids every chance he got, not sitting still. He’s an athlete and not much of a scholar…” Michael looked down at what was left of his meal. “He doesn’t talk about it much, I only know because he told me once when we were up at the pub after we got the contract with Parker’s. He’d had a bit to drink since we were celebrating, and he told me about it.” Michael finally looked at his brother who was starting to see why they were having this conversation.

“So, you want to _help_ James?” He asked Clara.

She looked up at him with her wide blue eyes, her skin close to the color of white alabaster, and held his eye contact even though it unsettled her. “I most certainly do,” she answered. “Yes, it’s my job, but it’s more than that,” she added. “I’ve seen what the press can do, and _what_ they do to dig up dirt… it’s not pretty.” She was again reminded of her times with Edward. There had only been several pictures of her in the press when his financial misdeeds were made public, but those pictures had been used over and over, and for several months. It hadn’t lasted very long by some standards of the curiosity of the press and the public, but it had been a level of scrutiny and privacy invasion, that taught her everything she needed to know in order to do her job better than almost anyone else in F1 media management.

Timothy looked at her intently, and it took every ounce of control she had to not look away. His gaze was piercing in a way she hadn’t seen since her own grandmother had passed. The only person in her family who had cared about her. He took another breath. “Ok.” He looked at the table and made a face as he thought. “But nothing leaves this table unless it’s something you need to cover with James. Understood?”

She nodded as he looked back at her. “Understood.”

“Yes, his dad wanted him to stay in school, yes, his mother was the one who did his karting career, but it was his Uncle Beecroft who foot the bill for the whole thing, even before his mother died. Karting isn’t something teachers can usually afford, even if it’s only for one child,”he added. “ He owns quite a few automobile dealerships, repair shops, around Birmingham. He and James’ aunt don’t have any kids, and he always took a liking to him. He’s his Godfather as well, and felt it was his place to help… rumors are that he’s not always been on the up and up. There’s a lot of stories that he started out selling stolen cars, and car parts, possibly some illegal gambling… but eventually went more legitimate with his businesses.” Timothy shook his head. “He’s really the _complete_ opposite of James’ dad. Once James’ mother died, his father hoped that would be the end of the association with Beecroft. But it had been too hard to raise James on his own, so James spent time at his aunt and uncle’s house on weekends, where he kept up with his Karting. They took him around to all the races, and got him everything he needed,” Timothy divulged. “At some point I think his father just gave up trying to pull him away from all of it. Their relationship is strained, to say the least.”

“Goodness,” Clara responded with her eyes wide, her voice saddened by the drama behind his upbringing.

“Yeah,” Timothy agreed. “Now, the rumors about his uncle still not being completely legit keep haunting him, even though he’s grateful to him for all he did. Plus, he paid for everything, sponsored all of his rides, had the dealership logos on all of the cars, his race suit, his helmet. Even sponsoring the last two years in F3. Plus, he’s related to him and he took care of him when his dad couldn’t, but his own dad _hates_ Beecroft. Can’t even have the two of them in the same room, he said.” Timothy shook his head and drank from his water bottle, really hoping he had trusted the right person, but in his gut- it felt like he had.

“So he’s stuck in the middle between his only living parent, and the uncle who helped make his dreams come true… how does he even know who to thank? His mother, I guess, if she started it all. But if you ignore the father, then he ignores his only real family. If he ignores the uncle, then he’s suddenly an ungrateful twat… Sorry,” she added, not seeing the small grin and laugh that Timothy was trying to contain. For someone so polished she certainly had an edge to her, he thought.

“Sorry, again, just trying to think through it all.” She had been looking at the table, putting herself in James’ shoes. “And he has real talent, and perseverance. He certainly showed that last weekend…” She was still only talking to herself, but the brothers both understood it was a lot for James to carry, and for Clara to process. Without thinking she mumbled, “and then _Charlotte_ …” she shook her head and placed her fingertips on her forehead as she leaned with her elbows on the table.

Michael threw his hands up from his lap. “You too? Were Charlotte and I the only ones who didn’t notice?!” He added with frustration, and trying to lower his voice.

“You didn’t know?” Clara asked, almost stunned. “How did you not know? I noticed it the first time I saw them talking together at the track for testing.” How had he missed it. Next to her Timothy was laughing quietly, his shoulders shaking. 

“I told you Michael, it was obvious,” he reached over and shook his brother’s shoulder as he gripped it in his big hand. “It’s OK,” he added. “I never would have passed Trigonometry,” and he laughed a little louder.

“NO, I _know_ you wouldn’t have,” Michael teased him back.

For the first time since that morning, Clara relaxed and wore a genuine smile as the brother’s interacted, making fun of each other’s weaknesses. She took another sip of her drink, and then reached to open the lid to her salad and took a bite.

“So besides all the family drama that James has had to endure, is there anything else I should know?” She asked them.

“Well, you obviously know he is single, and possibly a little heartbroken. It’s not something I think he wants to talk about, especially with the girl’s brother, you know.” Timothy added.

“No, I don’t imagine he wouldn’t want to talk about that, but who really wants to talk publicly about having your heart broken,” she added.

“I know he really misses his mom,” added Michael. She was a teacher too, but taught primary school. It sounds like she was great with kids.”

Clara was chewing her second bite and tilted her head as she thought about what Michael had just said.

“What?” Timothy knew that something was brewing inside that head. Especially now that he knew how sharp she was.

“I was just thinking… maybe a way to get James more involved locally, let people get to know him… Sanditon Primary. He might enjoy that. Do a large book donation, or some sporting equipment or something. We always do things for the schools, but maybe if it’s in memory of his mum, it would help draw him into the community more.” She was still thinking, but it would give him something to do and to focus on besides racing.

Timothy was impressed. How quickly she had taken everything they had said, and found a way to do something positive with it. “I think he’d like that,” he added quietly. “He’s a good guy. It couldn’t hurt to get him around kids, he’s great with them. Always a lot of fun with the little Heywoods at home,” he said smiling.

Clara grinned with her lips closed, as she was almost sure she still had some lettuce in her teeth, and drank some water to wash it down. “Perfect, I’m sure I can convince him of that tomorrow then.”

Timothy leaned back and focused on her as she ate another bite of her lunch. “I’m sure you _can_.” She looked up at him, and felt her stomach flip as she saw him smiling at her. He only smiled wider, his eyes twinkling as he noticed her look of surprise before she blinked twice and looked back at her salad. Michael started talking again, and Clara kept her attention on him and her lunch. But she couldn’t help but feel the intensity of the gaze from the man on her right as he looked at her. She was not one to get nervous. In fact, she had not been really nervous in years. Only today, she had felt that blush rise in her cheeks, and the butterflies in her stomach more than once, and each time it had to do with Timothy Heywood. She adjusted a little in her seat, suddenly feeling antsy, and decided that she was full. Taking the remainder of her lunch items, she stood and thanked the brothers sincerely for their help, and excused herself for an “urgent zoom meeting,” which was of course, non-existent. She had to get out of there, now. They both stood as she did, 'such manners,' she thought, and the flush from earlier in the day was threatening to show itself once again. She escaped as quickly as she could, smiling and nodding at coworkers as she walked through the maze of tables. 100% convinced that Timothy Heywood was still watching her. She deposited the trash and recycling items in the bins before she pushed the glass doors to the hallway. Taking one quick glance over her shoulder which confirmed it. Any given day of the week, men watched Clara Brereton as she walked past. It was part of her arsenal. This time however, she was not immune to the attention as she usually was. This time, she was positively flustered.

***

It was 5:59pm when Babington hit the mobile number listed under Esther’s contact information. It turned exactly to 6:00pm when the first dial tone rang.

“Yes?” Esther answered. She knew who it was, and did not show any excitement or enthusiasm in the way that she spoke.

“Hello, Esther. It’s George Babington.” Always well mannered, even if he knew full well that she knew _exactly_ to whom she was speaking.

“Yes, Lord Babington, very prompt I see.” She was not going to budge in her resentment of what was obviously turning into a date with a wine tasting included, instead of simply a tour of the cellars.

“Always,” he said smiling. “I have two days where I am available this week, as next week we will be in Bahrain.” He added, and getting right down to business. He could hear her steady deep inhale through her nose through the phone. She was certainly not as excited at the prospect of their date as he was, but he would not be deterred.

She waited a moment. “ _When_ exactly, would those days and times be?” She asked, clearly annoyed.

“I’m free tomorrow at 6,” he said.

The start of dining hours at the club, she thought, even more annoyed than she already was.

“Or,” he continued, “ I can come in earlier on Thursday. In the afternoon. 2 or 3,” he added. Thinking that making one of the times more flexible would help.

“Thursday would be a better time, _Lord_ _Babington_. Shall we say, 3 o’clock? At the front entrance.” She said without feeling.

“Thursday at 3, it is, Miss Denham… I look forward to it.” His wide smile could be heard through the phone.

“Very well, Thursday.” And without so much as a “bye” from her end of the phone, she hung up.

George quickly rang Sidney as soon as he was off the call. “Yes, George, you’ve caught me in the kitchen, I’m cooking for Charlotte so make it quick.” He explained as he was yelling toward his mobile with the speaker phone on.

“Thursday! I meeting her Thursday, in the afternoon!” George said excitedly.

“Ah! That’s _great_ Babers, happy to hear it,” but he rolled his eyes after he said it.

“I may need some help, some pointers before then…” George added.

“Of course, call me tomorrow, or come round in the morning for a work out,” then he remembered that Charlotte was staying over. “Just not _too_ early, and text _first_.” He added quickly.

  
“ _Why_?” George asked confused. They both had free-rein to pop in and see each other, and had been this way for years, even knowing each other’s security codes for their locks and alarms.

Sidney wiped his hands on the towel in front of him on the counter and picked up his phone, andturning off the speaker. “ _Because_ , I’m making dinner for Charlotte tonight, and she staying over… for the first time… _here_.” He explained.

Babington laughed. “When was the last time you had a woman in your actual bedroom, at home?” He asked still laughing.

Sidney mumbled his answer into the phone. “What, Sidney, I didn’t hear that?” Babington pressed him, knowing full-well what the answer was.

“ _Never_ , Babs! You _know_ that!” Sidney answered much more loudly. But at least it did explain his nerves a bit. He had even stopped at the supermarket to buy some foods that weren’t usually in his fridge or cabinets, but he wanted to make sure he had whatever Charlotte might want for dinner and then for breakfast. Fortunately, Diana had already been made aware to steer clear of his house for the next 24 hours, so he could hide or dispose of anything she would judge harshly before she came back.

Babington chuckled, happy with his own date for later in the week, and also at his friend’s sudden desire to cook and ‘play house’ with someone. “Well, I’m sure everything will be fine. You two practically lived together in Australia. I can’t imagine it would be much different.” He said encouragingly.

“Yes, true.” Sidney said nodding. “But this is different. This is my _home_ , it’s _Georgiana’s_ home, except for her penthouse in Knightsbridge. Which she _never_ stays at unless we are both in London… not even sure if she really wants to keep it,” he added quietly. It had been her home with her father, and keeping it or selling it was never anything either one of them had wanted to talk about. So it sat there, and she rented it out occasionally to A-listers and the mega-rich to pay for the upkeep.

“Well, we both know she’s totally ‘ _in’_ to you, so you have nothing really to worry about there,”George said reassuringly.

“Thanks mate, that helps,” Sidney said. “I’ll see you in the morning- just _not_ too early!”

George laughed, “right, not too early.And Sidney,” he added. “Have a nice evening,” he said smiling.

“Thanks George, see you tomorrow,” he added hastily and hung up the call.

***

Sidney’s housecleaner had shown up not long after Babington had left earlier that morning. Once he had finished with his workouts, he was suddenly much more involved in the organization of his home than was customary. So much so, that his housecleaner eyed him with suspicion. She noticed that he had been doing some of his own laundry, which he often did, but not with his towels and linens like today. She also noticed him organizing things and straightening up his closet, which was always straightened when she dusted and vacuumed. Then again, emptying-out two drawers in the dresser in his room, when she came in to empty the trash. She had been working for Mr. Parker for many years now, and was wondering if maybe his house was going to be photographed for some kind of decorating or architecture magazine with the attention to details he was exhibiting. She had always been very thorough with her work, so this was almost unwelcome, as if he was questioning her skills. Mostly, it all looked suspicious to her, and she finally confronted him about his satisfaction with the job she was doing.

Realizing that his behavior was more than unusual, he reassured his “dear Rosie,” and reminded her that he could not survive without her. A smile from him, and she instantly forgave any misunderstandings, and continued with her twice weekly clean-out of his home. Before she left with her armful of supplies, she reminded him that she could always change how they did things, and to simply leave a list of any new things he wanted her to work on when she would return on Saturday. That earned her another rare smile, and she left with her suspicions securely intact, and unanswered.

It was nearing 7pm now, and his dinner prep was mostly finished. He heard the door knocker. She was early, and he was thrilled. He had been waiting for this for the last two days. Finally a night alone, just the two of them. He threw open the door with one hand and pulled her in around her waist with the other, barely catching a glimpse of her before his lips were on hers and the door was closing behind her.

Charlotte giggled as she tried to catch her breath. “ _That_ was quite a welcome,” she said teasing him.

“That was quite a _long_ two days, Dr. Heywood. You really should tell those Parkers that they’re working you too hard,” he added with a wink.

“I’ll be sure to take it up with them, later. “She added laughing at him. “I’m starved! Arthur and I hardly stopped for lunch today. We committed the mortal sin of eating sandwiches at our workstations, and setting a very bad example of upper management breaking the rule of ‘no food near any electronic equipment.’ It was a long day…” and she took a deep breath as she looked up at him, it felt so much longer than just yesterday morning that they had last seen each other. “But it’s much better now,” she added with a small grin.

“Indeed, _much_ better.” He pulled her even closer now that he had both arms around her, and slowly kissed her lips until he felt her relax and a small “hmm” escaped her lips.

“Sooo much better,” she said softly. “Now, what can I do to help?”

He smiled, took her bag and set in on the bottom step of the staircase. Then, he helped her remove her jacket and hung it on the hall-tree before pulling her hand in his down the hallway to the kitchen. He quickly kissed the back of her hand before he headed toward the stove. He gave her instructions on finishing the salads he had started, while he plated the vegetable, and lean locally sourced beef stir-fry he had prepared. Along with a side of brown rice. All within Diana’s instructions, but spiced and seasoned for extra flavor.

“You are quite the chef, Mr. Parker. Why haven’t we done this before?” She asked as she looked at the colorful vegetables on the plates he carried.

He smiled, “well, when you have to eat a certain way, it’s best to learn how to do it yourself. Just wait till I make my famous fish tacos. Once you have those, you’ll never even…” he almost said ‘think of leaving me.’ Because in all honesty, he really was a good cook. But even making a joke about her leaving him stopped him cold in his tracks.

“I’ll never, what?” She asked innocently, with her beautiful wide smile looking up at him.

He recovered. “You’ll never eat anyone else’s,” he smiled in return.

She giggled, unaware that he let a moment of weakness try and come between them. They still had a lot to talk about, but had decided that they would wait until the end of the week. Friday. So that they could concentrate on work before that.

“Well, I learned a very good clam chowder recipe in Boston… although, I imagine I’ll need to make some changes to it… I’ll show it to Diana and see what she thinks I could do. Cockles would work wonderfully with it,” she added smiling at him as she picked up the salads and followed him into his dining room.

“Oh, Sidney,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful.” When they had been there for lunch while preparing food for her father, everything was in its usual state. The long dining table that looked to be made of a sturdy mahogany base, with a slab of dark grey polished soap stone for the top, had already been set for two. Right across from each other at the closest end, so they could see each other and talk. Candles had been lit and were flanking a lovely bouquet of purple tulips and fern leaves that were centered just past the place settings, and blocked the empty end of the table. It was very cosy and romantic, considering it was such a large table and in such a big room. There was even wine already in her glass, along with water glasses already in place. The only things missing were their plates and themselves.

After he set down the hot plates, he placed the pot holders he’d used to carry them on the nearby buffet. He took the salad plates from her, and pulled out her chair. He was happy that she had not acted like he had done too much. This was a very important “first” for them, and he wanted to make it memorable. “The plates are warmed, so they’ll keep the dinner hot while we have our salads,” he said as took his own seat and picked up his wine glass that had sparkling water. “But first, a toast,” he smiled at her as she picked up her wine glass. “To many more nights like this one,” and he tipped his glass to clink with hers as she smiled at him.

They both drank from their glasses, and tucked-in to their salads. They talked about their days. Charlotte told him about the damaged mini-wing from Jenny and Henry, and he laughed so hard at her retelling Arthur’s story that his face turned red, picturing yet another confrontation between his niece and nephew. She also talked about what Timothy was working on with the pit crew, and he paid close attention to the changes they had already made and what they were working on. He told her about the meal prep he had done with Diana the day before, and the things they had worked on for her father before the items were delivered. His long overdue deep-tissue massage with Otis yesterday. Also some of the changes Diana had made with his work outs.

He had left out how he had helped his housecleaner that morning, or the special trip he made to the supermarket to have some things just for her in his house. He did ask her, “so, erm… have you talked with Esther lately?”

“Yesterday, why?” She ask curiously as she carefully constructed another bite of the stir fry and rice onto her fork, before placing it in her mouth. She couldn’t believe how tasty it was, and that it was actually part of the Diana meal plan.

He cleared his throat. “George made something of an appointment, slash _date_ , with her for Thursday.” He smirked a little and looked up at her in time to see her eyes widen, and her now empty fork drop down to her plate.

She was chewing quickly, trying to finish the bite before speaking, but she didn’t wait. She covered her mouth to hide the half eaten food so she could ask, “How? _When_?”

He was smiling at her reaction as he answered. “The whole wine cellar thing, I suppose you know of it?” She nodded.

She had finished her bite now. “Oh yes. _Lady D!_ She is as _sly_ as a fox… Or rather, a whole _den_ of foxes.” She laughed.

Sidney chuckled, “well he finally nailed down a date and time. Plus, he’s bringing wine for her as a gift, and some wines to ‘get her opinion’ on from his wine dealer.” He was still chuckling, but he understood how important it all was for George.

“Ah,” she said as she took a sip of her wine in front of her. “ _Veeery_ smooth, George. Well done, him! I hope it goes well for them, I really do. Esther deserves a good man in her life for a change.” She said smiling as she thought of the two of them.

“Indeed,” Sidney agreed. “And Babers deserves someone who can handle his title, but also not give a _damn_ about it.” He took a drink of his water as he thought about it. “Sounds like Esther just might be the right woman for that,” he said it almost reluctantly. “But, I do hope it works, for both of them.” He flashed her his sideways grin.

She tilted her head and she watched him speak about it. “I wasn’t so sure how you felt about Esther, after our dinner the other week.”

He took a deep breath. “Her loyalty to those who are important to her speaks volumes to her character,” he said very matter of fact and then chuckled. “Not many people choose to confront me, as a rule. The fact that she did so on your behalf, at dinner, in her _own club_ , says a lot about your friendship with her.” He had been looking at the bubbles in his glass and then looked back up at her. 

Her eyes smiled before she did. “I am happy to hear you say that. Most people miss that about her. That her ‘challenges’ in regards to other people are really a way to gauge their own character. To find out if she can trust them. Most people don’t even bother,” she concluded.

“Yes, well, Babington is undeterred. Perhaps his unrelenting attention and positivity will crack that shell of hers,” he said with a smirk.

Charlotte laughed. “They would be very good together, if they see that about one another…Seems that I will need to call her in the morning, and try to get some inside information,” she winked. “Plus a good word about George couldn’t hurt,” she added slyly.

“Are you _saying_ that you will _help_ him?” Sidney feigned shock.

“Why wouldn’t I?” She asked, surprised.

“With Esther’s history, and your close friendship with her, I wasn’t sure if you would want to involve yourself in this little _endeavor_. But I have no doubt that George would appreciate any help he could get,” he said and then picked up his fork and began eating again.

Charlotte smiled quietly to herself. She had not told Sidney all the things she and Babington had talked about on the plane, and apparently, neither had George. She did feel a little guilty about not filling him in, but she felt that there were a lot of sensitive feelings involved with both of their friends, and she also wanted to help protect those. Plus, if George had wanted him to know, he would have told him himself.

The rest of the evening went like they had been living together for years. They cleaned the dishes from the table, snuffed the candles, washed the pots and pans together, and put everything away. Sidney had been biting his lip and then cleared his throat as the last pot was dried and put away. “Would you like a tour?”

“I would love one,” she said smilingly.

They started in the lower ground floor that had been converted to his personal gym. She was amazed at the set up, he really could do most of what he needed to at home, she thought. The first floor she had seen most of, but she got a better look at the living area attached to the kitchen, they stepped out onto the terrace where they’d had their first kiss, just at the sun was going down. People were walking on the beach and on the path next to it.

“It’s so beautiful here, so peaceful,” she said softly. Sidney walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Much more beautiful with you here,” he whispered in her ear as he leaned down and then kissed her neck before he rested his chin on her shoulder.

It seemed so private standing there. No one was looking at them, not with the golden sun, setting behind the ocean after such a miserable rainy day. It had finally stopped raining a couple hours ago, which had brought Sanditonians out of their homes to enjoy the drier atmosphere. It was still chilly in March, but after a rainy, cold and grey winter, it was finallystarting to feel like springtime. In a few more weeks, things would be even greener, and the bulbs would be peeking their green shoots and flowers from the ground. But for now, the sky was getting darker, and Charlotte was feeling very warm and almost delirious with Sidney’s arms around her. His hands were now starting to drift to her hips and her breasts as the night sky hid them from view, and his lips had found their way back to her neck.

“Maybe you should show me the rest of your house, Sidney.” She turned around in his arms so that she could hold his face. His stubble scratching her palms as she practically leapt her lips up to claim his.

“Keep kissing me like that, Charlotte, and we won’t even make it inside,” he growled under his breath and pulled her to him.

“Hmmm, still too cold for that, I think,” she said teasingly, and he laughed.

He took her hand and led her back inside. Once at the steps, he picked up her bag, and motioned for her to lead the way upstairs. “The whole first floor is mine, Georgiana has the second. We have a third, but don’t use it for much, just extra bedrooms and an extra bath.” 

Charlotte reached the top of the first flight of stairs. Looking toward the front of the house she saw a large bedroom that was used as a library/office, overlooking the town and the street. She saw a large antique desk with his laptop on it, and the room had built in bookshelves covering the walls. Another room right in front of her was what looked to be a sitting room, which is where Sidney led her first. It was a kind of sitting room, but it was part of his bedroom. A large reading chair by the fireplace, a small but cosy loveseat, and a small TV. Toward the back of the house on her left and facing the sea, she walked through an opening in the sitting room wall that was larger than a doorway, which led to his actual bedroom, and what appeared to be a very large walk-in closet on the far side. Just like the ground floor, the hardwoods were stained dark, the trims and ceilings were all white, and while the sitting area had a light linen color on the walls, the bedroom had a charcoal grey. His closet looked to be an even darker color grey with a hint of navy blue in it. The ensuite was to the left, and it was obvious that this had all been arranged for the best view of the ocean from his rooms. Both the bedroom and the bath had panoramic views of the ocean. It had been a very nice modern upgrade, she thought.

The areas were spacious, and the views had distracted her from the very large king-sized bed against the wall and facing the windows, that she had walked past to see the ocean waves crashing at night. She heard Sidney drop her duffel bag on the floor near the ensuite, and walk up behind her again. He had turned on some low lights, but not too much that would interfere with the view outside. Again, he wrapped his arms around her, and started kissing the side and back of her neck.

“My Darling… I have missed you so much,” he managed to say as he gently tugged on the neckline of her jumper, and kissing further down the back of her neck. Causing her to lose her equilibrium.

She had missed him too, and showed him by stepping forward out of his grip, and turning to face him. Promptly pulling up her jumper over her head and revealing some of her new lingerie she had bought in Melbourne. Lacy, and lilac in color, her bra fit her curves perfectly and even offered support, despite leaving little to the imagination. Sidney felt his stomach clench, and his blood rushing to different parts of his body. She then unbuttoned and pulled the zipper down on her tight jeans, revealing the tiny lace knickers that matched the barely-there bra. She kicked off her slip on trainers, and the jeans, and watched him as he stood there frozen, looking at her. His jaw unable to close as his hungry mouth fell open.

“I believe you are over-dressed, Sidney,” she said as she slid her hands onto his bare chest under his tight black t-shirt. He had decided that he didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard, after spending the last two days trying _so very_ _hard_ to make his home welcoming. But now he was simply glad that there wasn’t much in the way, or standing between them. He helped her hands by grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling it up and off in one quick yank. Her hands were already exploring the dips and planes of his chest and back, before he could look back down at her. The lace was so revealing, his breath quickened, and he reached to undo his pants and pulled them and his boxers off with the same swift motivation as he had his shirt.

“Now, my Darling, I believe that you are the one who is over-dressed.” He said smirking against her lips as he pulled her toward him.

The shock of his naked skin against hers, caused her to gasp into his mouth, only fueling him further. She reached for the clasp of her bra and unsnapped the hooks before he could protest. But what was there to protest when he felt the flesh of her breasts against him. Stumbling toward his bed, he coaxed her gently to lay down, and then put his hands on her hips. Preventing her from removing what he now knew were Brazilian cut sheer lace knickers.

“You certainly know how to drive me wild, Charlotte,” he growled against the skin of her shoulder laying underneath him. She giggled slightly. “No, I mean it, I haven’t thought of almost anything else the last two days. Just you, here, in my home, in my bed…” he added and then kissed her passionately on her mouth. He kissed along her jaw and then down her neck. “I had no idea that two days could last so long…” he lamented but continued his lavish kisses along her body, finally reaching her hip bone, where his teeth grazed along the top of her skin. Eliciting a deep reaction from her. Kissing along the edge of the top of the lace, he could feel her involuntary spasms, the arching of her back, and the sounds of anticipation from her mouth as she spoke his name. It was all better than he had imagined, she was better than he had imagined, the feelings, his desire for her was so intense. The security and comfort of his home only heightened what they had experienced together in Melbourne, and it surprised him. He wasn’t sure that his feelings for her could have grown more, and certainly not so soon. He stopped for a moment to look at her, feeling her press her hips against his chest, seeking him. His feelings growing, as well as his desire for her.

He felt her hand in his hair as she whispered his name. He buried his lips and his nose against her stomach again, his hand at her back hold her closely to him, causing even more vocal reactions from her. He spoke as he kissed her, without thinking, against her golden olive skin. So smooth, so delicate under his rough beard. His voice soft, where she couldn’t hear it. “My love,” and in that moment he knew that he meant it with all that he had to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: 
> 
> “Administration” is the equivalent to Bankruptcy in the United States. It would place the company under an appointed administrator who would sell assets if necessary, and divert funds to keep the company going so that it could recover. Usually with the help of new investors who would then own the company. 
> 
> ——Side note—- This happened almost three years ago to the “Force India Team,” who then became “Racing Point,” and this year will be sponsored and named after “Aston Martin,” (Aston Martin Racing). They also have other heavy investors in the team besides AM, but it shows how easily teams in F1 can change hands due to mismanagement or not enough investment. Many drivers bring investment money, or investors, with them to help guarantee a seat in a racing car because of the high costs. Not very fair, but a fast car only comes with having money for the research and the equipment. C’est la vie…


End file.
